New York City Mayor Eric Adams has vowed to stay in office despite facing serious legal challenges. Adams, who has been indicted on five counts, is steadfast in his denial of any wrongdoing and has promised to “fight these injustices with every ounce of my strength and my spirit,” according to a statement he released on Wednesday.
Despite Adams’ resolute stance, the city’s charter provides two distinct mechanisms for his removal from office, regardless of the trial’s outcome.
The first route involves New York Governor Kathy Hochul. Under the city’s charter, Hochul has the authority to remove Adams if he is convicted of a crime. However, given the close political alliance between Hochul and Adams, it remains uncertain whether she would exercise this power, as reported by Gothamist.
The second method, an unprecedented “inability committee,” could also be employed. This committee, which has never been utilized before, comprises five members: the city’s top attorney (corporation counsel), the comptroller, the City Council Speaker, the longest-serving borough president, and a deputy mayor selected by the mayor. Currently, the committee includes Adrienne Adams as the City Council Speaker, Donovan Richards as the longest-serving borough president, and Brad Lander as the comptroller.
The position of corporation counsel is currently held in an acting capacity by Muriel Goode-Trufant, who did not respond to requests for comment. Randy Mastro, who was nominated by Adams for the role, withdrew his candidacy in September, according to The New York Times. Additionally, Adams’ choice for the deputy mayor is yet to be determined.
For the committee to remove Adams from office, four of the five members must agree.
In the event that Adams is removed or resigns, the city’s public advocate, Jumaane Williams, would temporarily assume the role of mayor. If Williams is unable to serve, the comptroller, Brad Lander, would take over until a special election is organized.
Williams would be required to schedule a special election within three days of Adams’ departure. The election would be held on the first Tuesday 80 days after Adams vacates office. Candidates would run without party affiliation, using ranked-choice voting, similar to the last mayoral election.
However, if Adams were to leave office fewer than 90 days before the June primaries—essentially after late March 2025—there would be no special election. In this scenario, Williams would serve as mayor until the November election, with the new mayor assuming office immediately thereafter, according to the city charter.
For now, Adams remains determined to continue his duties as mayor, despite the mounting pressure and legal battles.
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