Governor Hochul Declines to Remove NYC Mayor Adams, Moves to Limit His Power

New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced Thursday, February 20th, that she will not remove Mayor Eric Adams from office despite calls for his ouster following his indictment on corruption charges. Instead, she unveiled plans to impose new oversight measures on the mayor’s office, citing a need for greater accountability.

“After careful consideration, I have determined that I will not commence removal proceedings at this time,” Hochul said. She emphasized that the decision should rest with voters, stating, “The will of the voters and the supremacy and sanctity of democratic elections preclude me from any other action.”

The governor’s decision follows intense scrutiny of Adams, who was indicted last year on charges of accepting gifts and illegal campaign contributions from Turkish business and government interests. The case took a dramatic turn when the Trump administration ordered federal prosecutors to drop the charges, sparking allegations of a quid pro quo arrangement.

Acting U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon, who resigned in protest, alleged in a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi that Adams’ legal team had suggested the mayor would only cooperate with federal immigration enforcement if the case were dismissed. Adams and the Trump administration have denied any such agreement.

Despite the controversy, Adams has refused to step down, maintaining his innocence and vowing to continue leading the city. “While there is no legal basis for limiting New Yorkers’ power by limiting the authority of my office, 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,” he said in a statement.

In response to the ongoing crisis, Hochul outlined measures to curb Adams’ power, including appointing a special inspector general to oversee his administration, expanding the state comptroller’s authority to monitor city finances, and granting independent legal authority to the city comptroller, public advocate, and City Council speaker to challenge federal government actions.

“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.