New York Governor Kathy Hochul has said she will not remove New York City Mayor Eric Adams from office.
Hochul made the announcement at a press conference in her office in Midtown.
“After careful consideration, I have determined that I will not commence removal proceedings at this time,” she told reporters.
“ My strong belief is that the will of the voters and the supremacy and sanctity of democratic elections preclude me from any other action,” Hochul said.
“I cannot deny the people of this great city the power to make this decision for themselves.”
Governor Kathy Hochul has chosen not to remove Mayor Eric Adams, instead leaving the decision to New York City voters. pic.twitter.com/xvHCflsOXR
— Timcast News (@TimcastNews) February 20, 2025
Nevertheless, Hochul said she would be implementing a range of measures intended to limit his executive authority.
Her proposals including appointing a “special inspector general” to oversee the mayor’s office and making it easier for the city comptroller and the New York City Council to sue the federal governments.
“This is an opportunity to install safeguards that we need to have in place to give people confidence that there’s only one factor in every decision that’s made, and that’s what’s best for the people of the city,” Hochul said.
Democrats have demaned that Hochul invoke special powers to remove Adams from office after the Department of Justice agreed to drop corruption charges against him in exchange for cooperating with the administration’s mass deportation efforts.
The rule relates to a clause within the New York City charter that states the mayor “may be removed from office by the governor upon charges and after service upon him of a copy of the charges and an opportunity to be heard in his defense.”
Adams had been charged by prosecutors with taking $100,000 in benefits and illegal campaign donations in exchange for favors to Turkish private and public entities.
However, Adams insisted the case was a political persecution after he spoke out against the Biden regime’s policy of allowing in millions of illegal immigrants, many of whom set their sites on New York City.
He responded to her announcement by declaring there is “no legal basis” for limiting his authority.
“I have told the governor, as we have done in the past, that I am willing to work with her to ensure faith in our government is strong,” Adams said.
“I look forward to continuing those conversations.”
