The Rev. Al Sharpton defended Mayor Eric Adams after the bombshell federal criminal charges — and warned that Hizzoner’s removal would be a sign of a political double standard.
Adams should only be judged by the outcome of a potential trial, argued Sharpton during a Friday morning MSNBC appearance.
Other prominent pols such as New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez were allowed to stay in office while they battled the feds in court, Sharpton noted.
“He shouldn’t be removed,” he said.
“What we’re saying is there must be one set of rules.”
Adams surrendered to the feds Friday on criminal charges accusing him of taking bribes from Turkish nationals and defrauding $10 million in public matching campaign funds from taxpayers.
Sharpton’s wait-and-see support of Adams contrasted with an avalanche of calls for the mayor’s resignation after he became the first sitting New York City mayor to face criminal charges Thursday.
The mayor has vehemently denied wrongdoing and signaled during a defiant rally Thursday that he would stay in office.
Adams was flanked by many local black leaders, including NAACP president Hazel Dukes, who defended him.
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But they were often interrupted and heckled by Black Lives Matter leaders and other protesters.
“This is not a black thing — this is a YOU thing,” yelled Hawk Newsome, a prominent BLM activist.
Sharpton said the accusations against Adams don’t fit the man he has known for decades.
“I do not feel that Eric Adams, who I’ve known for many years, is just a career criminal,” he said.