Sliwa alleges Cuomo backers offered bribes to drop NYC mayoral bid
GOP candidate says wealthy Cuomo supporters offered millions for a security job in exchange for withdrawal; Cuomo and Adams deny, as Election Day looms about a month away.
Curtis Sliwa, the Republican candidate for New York City mayor and founder of the Guardian Angels, said ultra-wealthy backers of former Gov. Andrew Cuomo attempted to bribe him to exit the mayoral race. Speaking at a Thursday press conference, he said persistent approaches included lucrative offers for a security-director role that could pay millions, either internationally or in the tri-state area. He said there is no price that would persuade him to drop out and urged authorities to investigate if any new information emerges.
Sliwa said he has received seven calls as recently as Wednesday and has rejected each one. He described the offers as potentially beneficial to his Guardian Angels program or his wife’s animal-welfare initiative and said the would-be broker suggested he could take a high-profile security post in exchange for withdrawal.
Cuomo’s campaign denied the allegations, calling Sliwa a liar and fraudster. In a Bloomberg interview Thursday, the governor dismissed the claims as malarkey and declined to name names.
Adams dismissed the allegations, calling Sliwa’s assertions nonsense. Adams’ own political history has included corruption allegations that federal authorities later dropped, a point his campaign used to frame the claims as unfounded.
Earlier in the campaign cycle there was speculation that President Donald Trump was considering a role in his administration for Adams if he left the race, but insiders told The Post that the talks fizzled once Sliwa signaled he would stay in the contest.
With Election Day about a month away, Cuomo remains a leading figure in a crowded field. Polls have shown Cuomo’s path could rely on fending off a strong challenge from progressive Zohran Mamdani, a surge that has kept the race in flux even as Cuomo consolidates support among traditional Democrats.
The episode adds to a contest that has been marked by high-profile names, rapid-fire developments and questions about influence and money in city politics as ballots approach. Observers noted the remarks underscore how quickly NYC politics can pivot when allegations surface and candidates respond in real time, just weeks before voters head to the polls.