Governor Kathy Hochul said on Monday she is considering removing New York City Mayor Eric Adams from office after four deputy mayors resigned over the Justice Department’s decision to dismiss his corruption charges, allegedly in exchange for his cooperation with immigration enforcement.
Last week, acting U.S. Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove ordered Manhattan prosecutors to drop their federal case against Adams. The Justice Department then moved to dismiss the criminal charges in a motion which U.S. District Judge Dale Ho has yet to approve.
Adams gave U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement access to New York City’s prison on Riker’s Island, sparking allegations of a quid pro quo between himself and the Trump administration that led to his case being dropped. Adams and border czar Tom Homan have denied the allegations.
Hochul responded to the news surrounding Adams, acknowledging her constitutional power as governor to force an elected mayor from 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,” she 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.”
First Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer and Deputy Mayors Meera Joshi, Chauncey Parker, and Anne Williams-Isom all resigned from the embattled administration on Monday.
“I am disappointed to see them go, but given the current challenges, I understand their decision and wish them nothing but success in the future,” Adams said in confirming their departures.
In September, Adams was indicted on five counts of corruption related to his alleged acceptance of benefits, such as free luxury travel from Turkish officials, in exchange for pressuring city inspectors to approve the opening of a new Turkish consulate building in Manhattan without a proper fire inspection. Adams pleaded not guilty.
The Justice Department has said the federal case prevented Adams from exercising his mayoral duties in respect to tackling illegal immigration and violent crime, noting it hasn’t assessed the “strength of the evidence or the legal theories on which the case is based.”
At least seven prosecutors from the Manhattan U.S. attorney’s office, including acting U.S. attorney Danielle Sassoon, quit in protest of the Justice Department’s order to drop the case.
Adams has so far resisted pressure to resign. Even if he stays in power, the Democratic mayor will face a tough reelection bid this year in a primary race that may include disgraced former Governor Andrew Cuomo.
Adams reportedly discussed running as a Republican before confirming he will remain a Democratic candidate in the blue stronghold that is New York City.
Hochul will be meeting with “key leaders” on Tuesday to discuss a “path forward” regarding Adams, the Democratic governor said without naming the officials.
“Let me be clear: my most urgent concern is the well-being of my 8.3 million constituents who live in New York City,” she added. “I will be monitoring this situation extraordinarily closely to ensure that New Yorkers are not being shortchanged by the current crisis in City government.”