The mystery illness of Eric Adams keeps him off NYC stage as rumors of campaign season grow

Mayor Eric Adams is unexpectedly absent from the public eye due to a mysterious illness, as a challenging primary campaign approaches and rumors circulate that he may be subject to new criminal charges.

With the exception of a brief statement released by his chief spokesperson, Fabien Levy, late Sunday, regarding Adams' mysterious illness, which stated that Hizzoner "hasn't been feeling his best" over the past few days and will have a restricted public schedule this week as he visits the doctor's office for a series of "routine medical tests," there were few details available, as The New York Post reported.

On Monday, the specifics and symptoms of the mayor's condition were unclear. However, a source who is familiar with him reported that he has recently experienced difficulty walking, and another affirmed that he will be undergoing unspecified medical tests.

From the Mayor's Office

“While he will continue to communicate constantly with staff and ensure city business continues undeterred, during this time, the mayor will have a limited public schedule,” Levy said in the statement.

“Like every other New Yorker, Mayor Adams has a right to privacy when it comes to personal matters, but we will continue to communicate in the unlikely event he is unable to fully discharge his duties on any particular day.”

City officials stated that Adams had worked from home and taken it easy the day prior to that, spending the day on the phone.

Substitutions in Office

In the event that Adams is unable to fulfill his responsibilities as mayor of the nation's largest city due to illness, First Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer is prepared to provisionally assume responsibility.

Adams, who is 64 years old, typically maintains an active public schedule, frequently participating in low-profile public events, such as flag raisings, that his predecessors avoided.

Adams withdrew from in-person engagements during his most recent significant illness, which occurred in early 2022 during his early tenure as mayor. However, he continued to participate in virtual events while in isolation.

The Schedule

However, Adams withdrew from scheduled appearances at local churches this weekend, where he had been attempting to win the support of sympathetic electors in the face of his challenging legal proceedings against federal corruption charges, according to sources.

Sources indicated that the mayor was prepared to dedicate the entire week to events that would emphasize his employment initiative, which is a critical component of his re-election campaign against a congested field of Democratic challengers who are attempting to unseat him from Graice Mansion.

With only weeks until the June mayoral primary, numerous political insiders expressed their surprise that Adams would give up the political spotlight to his opponents.