As New York City Mayor Eric Adams continues to fight federal charges of having accepted bribes in return for political favors, attorney Jim Walden has become the sixth candidate to enter the primary field in the hope of winning the 2025 mayoral election. Formerly served as assistant U.S.
attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Walden joins, as an independent, a primary field including prominent figures in New York Democrat Party politics such as Comptroller Brad Lander, who has often been at odds with Adams and Gov. Kathy Hochul. Also in the field are former Comptroller Scott Springer; State Senator Zellnor Myrie; State Senator Jessica Ramos; and Zohran Mamdani, a state assemblyman representing the 36th district.
Of the declared candidates, Walden is the only one who is not running as a Democrat as well as the only one who does not currently hold public office in the city. Walden is a name partner of the law firm Walden Macht Harran & Williams and an experienced litigator who has represented CEOs of companies and politicians, including former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and former Mayor Bill de Blasio, in a wide range of contentious matters.
Statements that Rodchenkov made to Richard McLaren, a law professor who previously served on a commission under the World Anti-Doping Agency, formed the basis for a 2016 report that charged Russian officials with having doped more than 1000 athletes. The International Olympic Committee subsequently disinvited Russia to the 2018 Winter Games..