Eric Adams, once a confident mayor who narrowly avoided federal corruption charges due to a surprising dismissal by the Trump administration, has recently reversed his longstanding support for Central Park horse-carriage drivers by endorsing Ryder’s Law, which would ban horse-drawn carriages. This sudden shift contradicts his previous promises and support for the drivers—mostly immigrant blue-collar workers—and comes amid his declining poll numbers. The law’s backing appears influenced by NYCLASS, an animal rights group founded by wealthy real estate developers who stand to benefit from the closure of stables and subsequent redevelopment of valuable Manhattan property.
Adams’ appointment of NYCLASS lawyer Randy Mastro as first deputy mayor, despite City Council opposition, and the history of NYCLASS’s ties to real estate moguls who have faced ethics violations, suggest political and financial motivations behind the mayor’s flip-flop. Despite evidence from veterinarians and experts confirming the horses’ well-being and improvements made under Adams’ administration, the mayor failed to consult relevant city health officials before supporting the ban. The move has been widely criticized as a betrayal of the carriage drivers and their families, with many suspecting that powerful real estate interests are driving this controversial policy change.
