New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has said she will meet with city leaders on Tuesday while indicating she may remove New York City Mayor Eric Adams from office.
“I recognize the immense responsibility I hold as governor and the constitutional powers granted to this office,“ Hochul stated. ”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.
“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.”
Hochul said she thanked outgoing deputy mayor Maria Torres-Springer for her years of service to the city. She also said the other three deputy mayors have been “strong partners” in her administration on key issues.
Along with Torres-Springer, Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi, Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Anne Williams-Isom, and Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Chauncey Parker resigned from their posts. Hochul said that if these individuals feel that they are unable to serve City Hall, it “raises serious questions” about the administration’s long-term future.
Adams has faced backlash over his cooperation with President Donald Trump’s ongoing crackdown on illegal immigration. The mayor recently agreed to allow federal immigration officers to utilize Riker’s Island, the city’s largest jail, for their operations.
The mayor said he was disappointed to see his senior aides leave but understood their decision.
Adrienne Adams, speaker of the New York City Council, said the resignations indicate that the mayor has lost the confidence of his own staff and should step down.
“He now must prioritize New York City and New Yorkers, step aside and resign,” she wrote in a statement. “This administration no longer has the ability to effectively govern with Eric Adams as mayor. These resignations are the culmination of the mayor’s actions and decisions that have led to months of instability and now compromise the City’s sovereignty, threaten chaos, and risk harm to our families.”
Meanwhile, Hochul said she is monitoring the situation closely to ensure that her 8.3 million New York City constituents aren’t “shortchanged” by the “current crisis” in their government.
The mayor faces several challengers in a Democratic primary set for June 24.
