New York’s Governor Meets Top Political Leaders as She Weighs Removing Mayor Eric Adams From Office

NEW YORK (AP) — New York Gov. Kathy Hochul held a series of meetings with key political leaders Tuesday as she contemplates removing Mayor Eric Adams from his office, an unprecedented step that reflects the growing turmoil inside City Hall.

The governor’s scheduled sit-downs — with a cohort of influential Black leaders and other top officials — come as Adams, a Democrat, faces questions about whether he has lost the ability to independently govern the city in the wake of a Justice Department move to drop his corruption case.

Hochul, also a Democrat, has the power to remove Adams from office. But she has been hesitant to do so, arguing that such a move would be undemocratic, while thrusting the city into an unchartered legal process.

But her political calculus appeared to shift on Monday night after four of Adams’ top deputies announced their resignations, which she said “raises serious questions about the long-term future of this Mayoral administration.”

Two people familiar with the governor’s schedule but who were not authorized to publicly disclose details about the meetings said Hochul is expected to speak on Tuesday with U.S. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, the Rev. Al Sharpton and U.S. Rep. Gregory Meeks about Adams’ future.

Following his meeting, Sharpton said the governor told him she would “see what the judge decides tomorrow and keep deliberating with other leaders.” He did not say explicitly whether he urged the mayor to begin the removal process, but he said he backed Hochul’s decision to wait on Wednesday’s court hearing.

Both the comptroller and council speaker are members of the so-called “committee on inability,” a five-person body empowered by the city’s charters to remove a mayor who is deemed unfit to serve.

Lander, who is also running in the Democratic primary, said he would convene the panel if the mayor does not outline a contingency plan for running the city by the week’s end. Hochul has also spoken by phone with another member of the committee, Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, according to the two sources.

Adams did not address the growing calls for him to step down during an unrelated news conference about a police officer who was shot in the shoulder Tuesday morning. As he left the hospital, he offered a terse response to reporters who asked why he had not taken questions in weeks: “Cause y’all liars.”