Governor Kathy Hochul on Thursday said she would not remove New York City Mayor Eric Adams from office and instead increase oversight on City Hall.
"After careful consideration, I have determined that I will not commence removal proceedings at this time," Hochul said during a press conference. "My strong belief is that the will of the voters and the supremacy and sanctity of democratic elections, preclude me from any other action. I cannot deny the people of this great city the power to make this decision for themselves."
The governor said she will enact three oversight measures. New legislation will create a special Inspector General for New York City Affairs within the Office of the State Inspector General. The State Inspector General will be able to direct the New York City Department of Investigations. This is to allow the IG to focus "more directly on any improper activity that may arise" out of the city, she said.
Hochul also proposed giving the city Comptroller, the Public Advocate and the New York City Council Speaker independent authority to clarify the independent language to commence litigation against the federal government when necessary, and using outside counsel. The city's law department will still have the opportunity to initiate legal actions within seven days of any request, but the whole-of-city government should not be reliant on City Hall for legal cases where the city may be under attack by the federal government, Hochul said.
The governor also would like to increase funding for the office of the Deputy State Comptroller to give the state oversight into potential city decisions with regards to the federal government.
Once these measures are enacted, they will be effective immediately and expire at the end of 2025, subject to renewal.
The decision comes after the governor met with key leaders this week to talk about the possibility of removing Adams from office after four deputy mayors resigned and the U.S. Department of Justice instructed federal prosecutors in New York to drop the corruption case against him.
After hearing the governor's measures, the mayor issued the following statement: “I was elected by the people of New York City and its working-class communities to uphold their values — and that is what our administration has done. While there is no legal basis for limiting New Yorkers' power by limiting the authority of my office, I have told the governor, as we have done in the past, that I am willing to work with her to ensure faith in our government is strong. I look forward to continuing those conversations.”
Although calls for Adams to resign have increased in the last several weeks, not everyone wants to see the mayor go. Several Brooklyn lawmakers, including Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn, Assemblymember Nikki Lucas and state Senator Roxanne Persaud, told Hochul in a letter on Tuesday that Black leaders have to battle "double standards and unfair process."
"If a move against the mayor is made without a justifiable legal reason, our communities will never forget it," said the Brooklyn lawmakers in a letter obtained by BK Reader. "To keep New York moving forward, we strongly advocate for allowing the mayor to remain at the helm. New York City, working people and communities of color are far better off with the consistency of the sitting mayor."
