City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams has donated $1,000 each to 35 fellow Dems on the 51-member council — an unprecedented move as she solicits support to keep her leadership post.
Adams’ campaign fund gave another $1,000 check to Manhattan Democratic Councilwoman Gale Brewer, which has yet to be cashed. Brooklyn Democratic Councilwoman Rita Joseph received only $250 from Adams, the speaker’s campaign confirmed.
“She might be a shoo-in to remain speaker, but it sure looks like she’s willing to buy the race anyway — just to be safe,” said a top city Democratic operative.
Most Democratic council members who didn’t receive money from Adams have yet to set up 2023 campaign funds to accept donations, so cash could be coming.
This excludes Robert Holden of Queens and Kalman Yeger of Brooklyn, centrists who side with the six Republican members on many issues; and Brooklyn’s Charles Barron and Manhattan Socialist Kristin Richardson Jordon, the only members who refused to back Adams’ campaign last January when she was elected the city’s first black speaker.
Although past speakers have donated to other council members’ campaigns, they’ve typically given to no more than a few pols per election cycle, records show. No speaker has come close to Adams’ generosity since the Council first began electing speakers in 1986.
“It’s the course of doing business, and it’s good to see the speaker supporting her members,” said a Democratic councilman who received $1,000 from Adams.
Before becoming speaker, Adams — who has represented Jamaica and other parts of Queens since 2018 – must first retain her own council seat in November’s general election where she’ll be a big favorite. She’s raised $442,308 for the campaign and has $288,033 on hand.
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Council Minority Leader Joe Borelli (R-Staten Island) said he’s fine with Adams shelling out cash to remain speaker – even if he and other Republicans aren’t on the receiving end.
“This is how the sausage is made,” he said.
A spokesperson for Adams’ campaign said the speaker “supports her members’ re-elections, and wants to make sure their campaigns have the resources to succeed.”