Gov. Kathy Hochul once again reaffirmed that she has the power to oust Mayor Adams and blamed much of the frenzy over a speculated quid pro quo on President Trump.
Hochul (D), 66, has been under intense pressure from some Democrats to jettison the embattled NYC mayor but so far has instead opted to add more guardrails and supervision.
“I still hold that option to remove him,” Hochul told CBS News’ “Face the Nation” Sunday. “It is an extraordinary power. And I know there’s a lot of people disappointed and angry and want something done immediately.”
“I will always stand on the fact that we are a nation of laws, and one individual, the governor of New York, should not use her voice and her will to override the will of the voters.”
Earlier this month, the Justice Department moved to scrap the five-count bribery case against Adams, leading to a slew of resignations in the Southern District of New York and fueling speculation that a deal had been forged between the Trump administration and Hizzoner.
Shortly thereafter, Hizzoner agreed to reopen the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office on Rikers Island, which had been shuttered since 2014.
Adams later appeared in a jarring interview alongside Tom Homan on Fox News’ “Fox & Friends” in which the border czar said, “If he doesn’t come through, I’ll be back in New York City, and we won’t be sitting on the couch, I’ll be in his office, up his butt, saying, ‘Where the hell is this agreement we came to?'”
Homan later denied speculation of a quid pro quo and called the conjecture “ridiculous.” Adams has also denied the accusations.
“I’m also going to be very cognizant,” Hochul added during the Sunday interview. “I need to keep an eye on this situation, especially the way the Trump administration has telegraphed that they want to get into our operations, and I have to be the firewall to stop that.”
Last week instead of pushing Adams out, Hochul announced ethics reforms that dramatically increased state power over the Big Apple.
This included a new deputy inspector general position within the state’s watchdog office to focus on New York City, empowering the city comptroller and city council speaker to sue against the federal government, and increasing funding for the state comptroller.
“We are not allowing the Trump administration to interfere in the operations of our city,” the governor stressed. “The phrasing they have used, and indeed, an interview that was done by one of his representatives on national television saying that he’s basically got the mayor under his control.”
“That’s concerning, and I have to be able to put in safeguards.”
When pressed about whether she believes there was actually a quid pro quo between the Trump administration and Hizzoner, Hochul demurred.
“I am going by what the perception could be,” she said. “I cannot let the integrity of the administration in the city of New York be undermined by the perception that the Trump administration actually created, they created this perception, the reality I will never know.”
“What the Trump administration doing is trying to give the appearance of holding the city hostage.”
Amid the firestorm engulfing the mayor, Hizzoner slapped a lawsuit against the Trump administration for snatching $80.5 million in migrant funding from the city’s coffers earlier this month.
Hochul also raged against the Trump administration for nixing the congestion pricing tax scheme that imposed a $9 fee to drive into Manhattan below 60th Street.
“Move along vehicles, emergency vehicles are moving faster. Air quality is improving,” she argued. “It’s going to the courts, and I believe we will be victorious in the courts, and this program will continue.”
Hochul met with Trump last week while in town for a gathering of governors at the White House. She recounted having an “adversarial meeting with Trump” during their private encounter.
During their meeting, Hochul confronted Trump on the congestion price ordeal but did not discuss the controversy embroiling Adams, she recalled.
The mayor has maintained that he intends to run for reelection as a Democrat this year despite all the accusations swirling against him.
Meanwhile, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) is widely expected to throw his hat in the mayoral race.