New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Thursday announced she will not remove Eric Adams from his position as mayor of New York City, after meeting with various leaders in her state over the last several days. The embattled mayor faces a growing political crisis over the Justice Department’s efforts to dismiss his corruption case.
“I was deeply troubled by the accusations leveled at Mayor Eric Adams,” Hochul said during a news conference on Thursday, adding that she consulted with her advisers, city leaders, clergy and others on “whether it’s appropriate and necessary at this moment” to remove Adams as mayor.
“After careful consideration, I have determined that I will not commence removal proceedings at this time,” Hochul said. “My strong belief is that the will of voters and … the sanctity of democratic elections preclude me from any other action.”
Hochul said she would propose several guardrails for “establishing trust” with New York City residents, some of which would require approval from the City Council and state legislature.
As NBC News reported, the guardrails she announced include:
— To install a “special inspector general” to oversee the mayor. — Making arrangements for the city comptroller, the public advocate and the New York City Council speaker to have an independent authority to take possible legal action against the federal government. — And she’s expanding operations of the state comptroller “for city oversight” that would closely evaluate “decisions related to the federal government,” Hochul said.
Removing Adams from his post — during an election year, no less — would have been unprecedented. The Democratic mayor has faced growing backlash over an alleged deal in which the Trump administration would drop his federal criminal case in exchange for his cooperation with President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown. (Adams, who pleaded not guilty to the corruption charges, and acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove have denied engaging in any quid pro quo.)
Bove’s memo urging federal prosecutors in Manhattan to drop the charges against Adams has led to the resignations of at least seven federal prosecutors. Danielle Sassoon, then the acting U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, wrote in a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi that the mayor’s legal team, at a Jan. 31 meeting, “repeatedly urged what amounted to a quid pro quo, indicating that Adams would be in a position to assist with the Department’s enforcement priorities only if the indictment were dismissed.”
Adams’ attorneys have denied any such arrangement, but he has not been able to shake the increasingly vocal calls for his resignation, including from fellow Democrats. Over the weekend, four of Adams’ deputy mayors — Maria Torres-Springer, Meera Joshi, Anne Williams-Isom and Chauncey Parker — quit after meetings between the mayor and his Cabinet, citing “the extraordinary events of the last few weeks.”
Then, on Monday, Hochul said in a statement that “the alleged conduct at City Hall that has been reported over the past two weeks is troubling and cannot be ignored,” adding that she would be meeting with “key leaders” at her office in Manhattan on Tuesday.
“I recognize the immense responsibility I hold as governor and the constitutional powers granted to this office,” Hochul said. “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.”
