New York City Mayor Adams faced federal indictment, but Governor Hochul, who has the authority to dismiss him, has yet to make a clear statement. However, in response to the recent resignation of Timothy Pearson, Adams’ senior public safety adviser, Hochul stated on October 2 that this was “a good start” and confirmed that she had asked Adams to continue cleaning up the city government internally.
During a press conference, Hochul was asked about Pearson’s resignation on September 30, to which she said she is closely monitoring the situation. She mentioned that Pearson’s resignation is a good start and stated that she will observe what other changes may occur in the coming days. Hochul also indicated that she expects more high-ranking city officials to resign.
Hochul confirmed previous reports from CNN that she had pressured Adams to clean up the city government internally. She mentioned that the state government is monitoring the situation closely and anticipates changes within the city government. When asked if she had specifically recommended a number or list of city officials to be dismissed to Adams, Hochul stated that suggesting such action would be inappropriate and irrational. However, she expressed her desire for the mayor to appoint “trustworthy individuals” to fill the vacancies left by resigning officials.
The New York Post reported that top Democrats, including Hochul, are privately considering how to respond once Adams falls from power. Following the federal prosecutors unveiling the indictment against Adams, Hochul’s lawyers have begun exploring how to remove him from office if the situation escalates to the point where they have to utilize this “nuclear option”. Democrats are also discussing potential candidates to participate in a special mayoral election should it be necessary.
Gothamist news website also reported that dozens of high-ranking officials in Hochul’s administration held a virtual meeting on October 1 to discuss the challenges facing Adams. According to three sources who participated in the meeting, they requested that state agencies enhance oversight of public affairs in New York City’s five boroughs to mitigate the impacts of Adams’ indictment on governance.
According to New York state law, the governor has the authority to dismiss officials who are deemed unfit, including mayors of any city. However, since 1974, no governor has exercised this power.