{"id":25131,"date":"2025-07-27T18:59:39","date_gmt":"2025-07-27T22:59:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/multi.nycnewsnetwork.com\/brooklynbuzz\/brooklyn-assemblywoman-rebukes-lander-over-adams-epstein-allegations\/"},"modified":"2025-07-27T18:59:39","modified_gmt":"2025-07-27T22:59:39","slug":"brooklyn-assemblywoman-rebukes-lander-over-adams-epstein-allegations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nycnewsnetwork.com\/brooklynbuzz\/brooklyn-assemblywoman-rebukes-lander-over-adams-epstein-allegations\/","title":{"rendered":"Brooklyn Assemblywoman Rebukes Lander Over Adams-Epstein Allegations"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>In a sharp rebuke that sent shockwaves through New York\u2019s political arena, Assemblywoman Nikki Lucas (D-60th District) denounced New York City Comptroller <a href='https:\/\/comptroller.nyc.gov\/about\/brad-lander\/'>Brad Lander<\/a> for what she described as a reckless and harmful attack on Mayor Eric Adams. Lander, while appearing on <a href='https:\/\/www.ny1.com\/nyc\/all-boroughs\/politics\/inside-city-hall\/'>Inside City Hall<\/a> with political anchor Errol Louis, casually remarked that there were rumors about Adams\u2019 name surfacing in the Jeffrey Epstein files, without producing any evidence.<br \/>\nLander stated, \u201cI\u2019ve heard some people say that the Mayor is in the Epstein files.\u201d This offhand and unverified comment prompted host Errol Louis to immediately distance himself, but the statement had already sparked widespread controversy.<br \/>\nThough Mayor Eric Adams has weathered several controversies, it\u2019s crucial to emphasize that he has not been found guilty of any charges. Presumption of innocence is foundational in a democracy; unproven allegations should never be treated as fact. When officials link Adams to criminal activity without proof, it invites a much darker political agenda\u2014where race, ambition, and sensationalism intersect to erode fairness and justice in New York City politics.<\/p>\n<p> NYC Comptroller Brad Lander &#8211; Instagram<br \/>\nThe implication, from which Louis distanced his program, has faced swift backlash from community leaders and the public. None was more direct than Assemblywoman Lucas, who released a public statement on Tuesday, labeling Lander\u2019s remark as a new low in the city\u2019s politics.<br \/>\n\u201cComptroller Brad Lander\u2019s decision to bring up the Epstein files and associate them with Mayor Adams, without evidence, drags this election season down. Unfounded and reckless accusations from citywide officials are more than irresponsible\u2014they are truly dangerous,\u201d Lucas shared with <a href='https:\/\/nycnewswire.com\/'>NYC Newswire<\/a>.<br \/>\nA commentator on Lucas\u2019 Instagram wrote, \u201cAppreciate you saying this. Brad\u2019s remarks are inexcusable\u2014even as a so-called joke. Critique the mayor\u2019s record if you wish, but don\u2019t stoop so low.\u201d<br \/>\nLucas further stated, \u201cMayor Adams is a Black man, and that fact is inseparable from the repeated attacks on him. I can\u2019t remain silent as attempts are made to tear him down without cause. Brad Lander must be held accountable, and I call upon leaders such as Public Advocate <a href='https:\/\/council.nyc.gov\/district-45\/'>Jumaane Williams<\/a>, mayoral hopefuls Zohran Mamdani and <a href='https:\/\/www.governor.ny.gov\/about-andrew-cuomo'>Andrew Cuomo<\/a>, and other allies to reject this rhetoric. Remaining silent now is a form of complicity.\u201d<br \/>\nHer defense of Adams quickly gained traction online, as many echoed her worries about how Black leaders are treated in the city\u2019s politics and media.<\/p>\n<p>A Modern \u201cLynching\u201d Tactic?<br \/>\nObservers drew parallels to racially charged tactics of previous generations. \u201cWhat\u2019s happening to Mayor Adams amounts to a modern digital lynching,\u201d said a community advocate from East New York. \u201cIt\u2019s the same old strategy\u2014accuse a Black leader without proof, whip up a frenzy, only now it\u2019s digital headlines and viral clips.\u201d<br \/>\nLucas, well-known for her advocacy on racial justice, warned of the serious damage such baseless allegations can inflict\u2014not only on Adams, but on the political atmosphere in a city still grappling with racial justice challenges.<br \/>\nLander has yet to clarify or retract his comment, as demands grow for his colleagues to repudiate the claims and distance themselves from racially charged attacks.<\/p>\n<p>A Pivotal Moment in City Politics<br \/>\nMany see this as a pivotal test, sparking debate about how progressive politics handle racial bias. \u201cThis transcends Adams,\u201d said Aaron Brown of East New York. \u201cIf you claim to support equity, you can\u2019t weaponize rumors and race against Black officials.\u201d<br \/>\nWhether Lander issues a retraction remains uncertain. What\u2019s clear is that Nikki Lucas has taken a stand, challenging others to do the same.<br \/>\nAs she concluded, \u201cSilence in moments like this is just as bad as agreement.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In a sharp rebuke that sent shockwaves through New York\u2019s political arena, Assemblywoman Nikki Lucas (D-60th District) denounced New York City Comptroller Brad Lander for what she described as a reckless and harmful attack on Mayor Eric Adams. Lander, while appearing on Inside City Hall with political anchor Errol Louis, casually remarked that there were [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5893,"featured_media":25132,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2717,2866],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-25131","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bk-news","category-politics"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v23.4 (Yoast SEO v26.6) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Brooklyn Assemblywoman Rebukes Lander Over Adams-Epstein Allegations - Brooklyn News and Events<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/nycnewsnetwork.com\/brooklynbuzz\/brooklyn-assemblywoman-rebukes-lander-over-adams-epstein-allegations\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Brooklyn Assemblywoman Rebukes Lander Over Adams-Epstein Allegations\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"In a sharp rebuke that sent shockwaves through New York\u2019s political arena, Assemblywoman Nikki Lucas (D-60th District) denounced New York City Comptroller Brad Lander for what she described as a reckless and harmful attack on Mayor Eric Adams. 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