With NYC Mayor Eric Adams under fire, Gov. Kathy Hochul convenes top leaders to discuss his fate
New York City Mayor Eric Adams faces mounting pressure to step down following a wave of resignations Monday at City Hall.
Gov. Kathy Hochul held meetings with key leaders Tuesday at her offices in Midtown Manhattan to discuss whether the mayor should be removed from office.
Hochul held one-on-ones with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, New York City Comptroller Brad Lander and New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, to name a few.
CBS News New York's Marcia Kramer has learned the governor's possibilities include asking the mayor to resign or invoking her powers to remove him from office, something that has never been done before in the history of the state. The decision is made more complicated because Hochul, herself, is up for reelection in 2026 and she would be removing the second Black mayor 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 Monday night. "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."
Demonstrators gathered outside Hochul's office Tuesday, calling for Adams to be removed.
Key leaders speak out
"My feeling is that the faith of the city's people has been shaken, and there needs to be a resolve," the Rev. Al Sharpton said after meeting with Hochul for about half an hour. "This is not about friendship. This is about, you know, I'm going to stand up for what I believe. I've had friends I've campaigned against in office. This is about what is right, and what's going to be a precedent."
Lander, who is also running for mayor, called the situation "the sword of Damocles hanging over the head of the entire administration."
"What [Hochul] opened with is the core thing we have to do is focus on the continuity of government," he said.
"We need steady-handed leadership at City Hall that can not only weather these crises but address them head-on and continue to move New York City forward. New Yorkers deserve that from a laser-focused government they can trust, and I encourage Mayor Adams to give deep, honest thought as to whether his administration is capable of delivering such a government," Queens Borough President Donovan Richards said in a statement after meeting with Hochul.
"Mayor Adams has a responsibility to decisively demonstrate to the people of New York City that he has the capacity to continue to govern in the best interest of New Yorkers, as opposed to taking orders from the Trump administration," Jeffries said. "Well, it's an unprecedented decision that the governor is weighing, with all of the seriousness and contemplation that the matter deserves."
Jeffries said other members of the New York congressional delegation would also be speaking with Hochul.
In a statement Tuesday, a spokesman for City Hall said:
"Mayor Adams has been clear that his loyalty is solely to the 8.3 million New Yorkers he represents, and the mayor is always available to speak with the governor about how we can continue to deliver for them. Despite this investigation and case, we've simultaneously broken housing records, created the most jobs in the city's history, provided for hundreds of thousands of longtime New Yorkers and migrants, built unprecedented public spaces, and made our city safer at every level. As we have said, all deputy mayors remain in their roles for the time being to ensure a seamless transition and we are actively working to find their replacements. Just like it does every day, our city continues to move forward."
Adams to appear in court for Wednesday dismissal hearing
Adams has been struggling to reset since a Department of Justice memo last week ordered federal prosecutors in New York to dismiss their corruption charges against him. Critics say it set up a possible quid pro quo, but the mayor denies that.
Judge Dale Ho will hold a hearing Wednesday afternoon with prosecutors, Adams and his attorneys on the Justice Department's motion to dismiss the case. Adams, himself, will be present in the court for the hearing. Ho pointed out that the motion to dismiss requires Adams give his consent in writing to the motion to dismiss, which Ho wrote he hadn't yet received.
"The parties should be prepared to address... the reasons for the government's motion, the scope and effect of Mayor Adams's 'consent in writing'... and the procedure for resolution of the motion," Ho wrote in his order.
The DOJ motion to dismiss prompted a wave of resignations within the U.S. attorney's office and, ultimately, from the mayor's office, as well.
The judge has the power to dismiss the case as per the DOJ's request. He can also establish a special counsel.
Former U.S. Attorney Nathaniel Akerman -- a Watergate prosecutor -- filed a motion in federal court asking Ho to reject the DOJ's request and to establish the special counsel.
"With the Government agreeing with Mr. Adams to dismiss the indictment, no party before the Court is representing the public interest. We respectfully ask the Court to appoint a special counsel to advise the Court in resolving this unfortunate matter," Akerman wrote.
Adams' attorney, Alex Spiro, wrote a letter to the court in response to Akerman's motion and again took issue with former U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon's allegation that the dismissal amounted to a quid pro quo.
"At no time prior to, during, or after the meeting did we, Mayor Adams, or anyone else acting on behalf of Mayor Adams offer anything to the Department, or anyone else, in exchange for dismissal of the case. Nor did the Department, or anyone else, ever ask anything of us or the Mayor in exchange for dismissing the case. There was no quid pro quo. Period," Spiro wrote. "What we never said or suggested to anyone was that Mayor Adams would do X in exchange for Y, and no one said or suggested to us that they would do Y in exchange for X. We are prepared to confirm these points under oath in sworn declarations."
Hochul told the people she met with Tuesday she wants to see what the judge decides to do first. After that, there are a number of options. CBS News New York has learned that Hochul wants to avoid the need to have a special election, which would cost tens of millions of dollars, so if she does decide to remove Adams, she would not declare a vacancy until after the end of March.
When asked how the mayor was feeling ahead of his court appearance, a City Hall spokesman said, "He's ready."
NYC deputy mayors stepping down
On Monday, four deputy mayors -- First Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer, Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Anne Williams-Isom, Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi and Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Chauncey Parker -- all notified Adams they would step down from their posts.
"Due to the extraordinary events of the last few weeks and to stay faithful to the oaths we swore to New Yorkers and our families, we have come to the difficult decision to step down from our roles," they said in a statement.
Adams responded with a statement, reading in part, "I am disappointed to see them go, but given the current challenges, I understand their decision."
A spokesperson for the mayor said his office is actively searching for replacements, but all four will remain in their roles until then.
"If they feel unable to serve in City Hall at this time, that raises serious questions about the long-term future of this Mayoral administration," Hochul said in her statement.
Sources tell CBS News New York that Adams is is eyeing Randy Mastro, who served in Rudy Giuliani's administration when he was mayor, to replace one of them, as well as the NYPD's deputy commissioner of operations, Kaz Daughtry, for deputy mayor for public safety.
Will Eric Adams resign?
Meanwhile, City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, who has called for Adams to step down, did not respond to questions about whether she was considering a run for mayor, herself. Sources tell CBS News New York that if Hochul decides to remove Eric Adams, she is considering backing Adrienne Adams.
Sources tell CBS News New York that Hochul has a lot of options, and she is trying not to rush things to give enough space so that perhaps the mayor will decide to either not seek reelection, or to resign.
So what are the chances Adams resigns?
"None. Zero. Zilch. Minus 1 million. There's no way he resigns," political expert and law professor J.C. Polanco said.
Polanco said the chances Hochul will remove Adams from office are better, if she can get the support of minority voters and community leaders.
"Remember, the Democratic party in New York is very diverse, and she is a white lady from Western New York. So the idea that she's going to do that without the support will be very difficult," Polanco said.
Calls for Adams to be removed
Lander sent a letter to Adams that gives him a Friday deadline for a contingency plan in response to the deputy mayor resignations.
"These are people who have served in city government, who have worked for him for years, and for them to say we can no longer serve in good conscience is just alarm bells ringing," said Lander.
Protestors are also piling on the pressure. A crowd showed up at a campaign rally the mayor was holding at a Brooklyn church and demanded the governor remove him from office.
"When I was indicted, remember what happened, people departed. When I was indicted, people said it was the end of the administration, people said that people have lost confidence. Go back and do an analysis from the day that I was indicted to what we have accomplished. That is my ability to lead through turmoil, and I'm going to continue to do that," the mayor said.
