Governor Kathy Hochul (D-NY) is considering removing Mayor Eric Adams of New York City.
“I recognize the immense responsibility I hold as governor and the constitutional powers granted to this office. In the 235 years of New York State history, these powers have never been utilized to remove a duly-elected mayor; overturning the will of the voters is a serious step that should not be taken lightly,” Hochul said in a statement. “That said, the alleged conduct at City Hall that has been reported over the past two weeks is troubling and cannot be ignored. Tomorrow, I have asked key leaders to meet me at my Manhattan office for a conversation about the path forward, with the goal of ensuring stability for the City of New York.”
“Let me be clear: my most urgent concern is the well-being of my 8.3 million constituents who live in New York City. I will be monitoring this situation extraordinarily closely to ensure that New Yorkers are not being shortchanged by the current crisis in City government.”
Several deputy mayors issued letters of resignation following the Trump administration dropping corruption charges against Adams.
New York City Comptroller Brad Lander sent a letter to Adams in response to the resignations, writing that the departures “would create an unprecedented leadership vacuum at the highest levels of City government and wreak havoc on the City’s ability to deliver essential services to New Yorkers.”
“These resignations come in the wake of deeply concerning actions by the U.S. Justice Department, asking the U.S. District Court to drop the indictments against you, so long as you comply with the White House on matters of immigration and criminal justice policy, which call into question your ability to continue to comply with your duties to New Yorkers under the City Charter,” the letter says.
Lander requested that Adams present a “contingency plan outlining how you intend to manage the City of New York during this period of leadership transition.”
“In the absence of a contingency plan, the resignation of four or more deputy mayors, and the chaos created by the Justice Department’s actions regarding indictments against you, may well constitute inability to govern,” he wrote. “Should your office be unable or unwilling to formulate such a plan promptly, I will seek to convene a meeting of the Inability Committee.”
Last September, a five-count criminal indictment was brought against Adams. The DOJ’s motion to dismiss the charges, signed by Acting Deputy Attorney General Bove, argued that the indictment against Mayor Adams was politically motivated and could hinder his ability to collaborate on federal initiatives, particularly in areas like immigration enforcement.
