Mayor Eric Adams says Rudy Giuliani should be investigated for what happened after alleged slap
NEW YORK -- The alleged physical attack on Rudy Giuliani over the weekend has pitted mayor against the former mayor.
The current hizzoner now says Giuliani should be investigated for what happened after the incident.
As CBS2's Nick Caloway reported Tuesday, Adams is having the police commissioner look into it.
"I think the district attorney, he has the wrong person that he is investigating," Adams said.
Adams told members of the media on Tuesday that the district attorney should investigate Giuliani for falsely reporting a crime.
Giuliani, now 78 years old, had claimed he was assaulted at a Staten Island ShopRite while campaigning for his son, Andrew.
Here's how one person standing near the former mayor described it:
"He hit him so hard that I felt it. That's how bad it was," one woman said.
The claim resulted in the arrest of 39-year-old Daniel Gill, an employee at the supermarket.
Video footage later obtained by the New York Post showed the encounter, where the man struck Giuliani in the back before hurling expletives at him.
Prosecutors eventually downgraded felony charges against Gill to misdemeanor assault, menacing, and harassment.
"What if we didn't have the video? This person would have been accused with a serious crime, when all he did was pat the guy on the back," Adams said. "He's a former mayor. I think it's irresponsible for a former mayor."
Giuliani shot back.
"Mayor Adams is an idiot because I didn't file a report. Can you imagine that? He wants to prosecute me for filing a false report I didn't file. His police department filed the report," Giuliani said.
Caloway caught up with Gill to see what he thought.
"At this time, I really can't comment due to my attorney's wishes," Gill said.
Gill's attorney, Redmond Haskins, told CBS2 in a statement, "We agree with Mayor Adams, a former police officer with over 20 years on the force, that this was simply just a pat on the back."
Mayor Adams also accused Giuliani of using sensationalism and the police to carry out his agenda.
Giuliani said his back still hurts from that dustup.
Giuliani told CBS2 he believes the store employee was angry about the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.