Eric Adams continues the Brad Lander digs at budget presser

Eric Adams just can’t get Brad Lander off his mind. Announcing a budget deal alongside administration officials and City Council leaders Thursday afternoon, Adams called out the New York City comptroller for not visiting Washington D.C. to advocate for federal assistance to manage the influx of asylum-seekers to the city. 

“Whatever we need to do to get Brad to go, I'll even buy his ticket. But he needs to understand that that is his responsibility as well,” the mayor quipped.

Asked about paying for the costs of providing services to tens of thousands of migrants who have arrived since last year, Adams said, “We're going to continue to use all legal means, if it means a decompressive strategy throughout the state, if it means convincing Brad Lander to go to Washington and help us, if it means making sure that we build up (relief centers).”

It’s not the first time Adams has taken a dig at Lander. When asked about staffing shortages at city agencies, Adams has pointed to the comptroller’s own vacancy rate. And earlier this month, Adams went off on Lander when asked about a delegation of City Council members who traveled to D.C. to advocate for federal assistance. “Brad Lander, the loudest person in the city, has yet to go to Washington to deal with the No. 1 issue that this city faces,” Adams said at the time, before imitating Lander’s voice and saying, “I think Eric should –.”

A spokesperson for Lander questioned why Adams is focusing on him. “Why does the mayor want the City's watchdog to leave town so badly?” Chloe Chik wrote in a tweet. “The @NYCComptroller will keep doing his job: watching the numbers and conducting oversight of city agencies.” The remarks came a day after Lander’s office released an audit calling the administration’s sweeps of homeless encampments a “policy failure.”

Adams was asked later in the budget press conference why he’s focusing on Lander – who, as comptroller of New York City, might not command as much attention in D.C. as the mayor. “Just adding all of our voices to an issue that is really at the top three,” Adams said. “The speaker was clear with her delegation going down to Washington, fighting on our behalf, (Public Advocate Jumaane Williams) went down, fought on our behalf. I think Brad should go down and fight on our behalf as well.”