Democrats put Hochul in a tough spot over Adams without changing the quoted material
The Democratic governor has collaborated effectively with the mayor, yet is under pressure to remove him due to his legal troubles.
TroibNews 
**ALBANY, New York** — An unprecedented political and legal crisis surrounding Mayor Eric Adams is now putting pressure on his ally, Governor Kathy Hochul.
Democrats are increasingly urging the moderate governor to take action against Adams as he appears to be implementing the Trump administration’s conservative immigration policy, especially after a top Department of Justice official suggested that Adams' corruption case be dismissed.
This situation has dramatically shaken up the political landscape in New York.
In a surprising development, Hochul's lieutenant governor publicly called for Adams to resign. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, a cautious Brooklyn Democrat, is also expressing doubts about the mayor's political viability. Meanwhile, New York City’s public advocate, Jumaane Williams, who would temporarily assume the mayoralty should Adams vacate his position, has indicated he is ready to step up.
Former Governor Andrew Cuomo is lurking in the background, yet to announce his candidacy in the mayoral race. His return could be advantageous for him if Adams were to exit the political arena, as they share similar support bases.
This represents a challenging situation for any governor, and for Hochul, it poses a dilemma that could result in significant political fallout ahead of her 2026 reelection campaign.
“She probably didn’t want to be in this position at all,” said Democratic operative Lupe Todd-Medina.
The notion that Adams, the city’s second Black mayor elected on a law-and-order ticket, may be seen as a puppet for the Republican president has raised alarm among Democrats in the staunchly blue state. Tensions escalated on Thursday afternoon when former acting U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon resigned, alleging a “quid pro quo” to support Trump’s immigration policies. Although Sassoon rejected an order to conditionally dismiss the case, two Justice Department officials moved to submit that request to the court on the following day.
Adams’ attorney, Alex Spiro, has refuted Sassoon’s claims, calling them a “total lie.”
The mayor has unequivocally stated he will not resign.
“The mayor has been clear; he’s not stepping down, he’s stepping up,” Adams spokesperson Kayla Mamelak Altus said in a statement. “As he said yesterday, we must put this difficult episode behind us so that trust can be restored, New York can move forward, and we can continue delivering for the people of this city.”
Hochul had previously brushed aside inquiries about removing Adams but appeared less supportive in an MSNBC interview on Thursday night, revealing the limitations of her backing.
“The allegations are extremely concerning and serious, but I cannot as the governor of this state have a knee-jerk, politically motivated reaction like a lot of other people are saying right now,” she noted in the interview. “I’ve got to do it smart, what’s right and I’m consulting with other leaders in government right now.”
This scenario is particularly significant for Hochul, who has emphasized her collaborative efforts with Adams on public safety issues—a notable deviation from the often fraught relationships among past governors and mayors.
Should Hochul decide to remove Adams, she would require political backing, especially given his support among Black voters. Some clergy leaders, even those sympathetic to Cuomo, have indicated they would support Hochul if she must decide on Adams’ ouster.
“The moves the mayor has made here are totally unacceptable to us,” remarked Rev. Johnnie Green. “We’re out of options. We’re dealing with Mayor Trump now, if I may say. This isn’t a case of Mayor Adams being in charge.”
Although Green has yet to demand Adams’ resignation or removal, he noted that the mayor's support has diminished significantly.
“At some point, the levy is going to break,” Green stated.
However, Rev. Al Sharpton believes the circumstances should evolve further before pushing Hochul to act against Adams. Since the mayor’s case has not been officially dismissed, a federal judge’s decision might alter the situation again.
“If the judge comes back and says I’m not letting you stop the trial, there’s nothing for her to do,” Sharpton said regarding Hochul. “If the judge says that the charges are out, then you have an appeal to the governor because you can say the criminal justice system did not answer this. So what are we asking to do — to preempt the judge?”
Attorney General Letitia James, another ally of Hochul, has been cautious not to overstep her authority.
“There’s a number of discussions going on, discussions going on at the state level, discussions going on at the local level, private discussions. So at this point in time, we’re going to refrain from making comments until such time as we complete these discussions to determine the fate of the mayor of the city of New York,” she stated.
Their careful approaches might provide Hochul with some leeway, particularly as her political capital is limited at the moment. Her job approval ratings have suffered greatly over the past year, leading some Democrats to question her viability for re-election in 2026, despite her strong fundraising capabilities.
The unfolding Adams saga has also created a rift with lieutenant governor Antonio Delgado, who has called for Adams to resign. Hochul's spokesperson, Anthony Hogrebe, responded by clarifying that Delgado “does not now and has not ever spoken on behalf of this administration.”
Delgado seemed unfazed by the governor's office's reaction and stopped short of urging Hochul to remove Adams.
“The first step is to call for a resignation … give him a chance to think about the best way forward,” Delgado told reporters in Albany.
This episode illustrates the precarious political balancing act Hochul must perform in relation to Adams. Prominent Democrats in the state Legislature, including Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Deputy Senate Majority Leader Michael Gianaris, have urged her to remove the mayor.
Yet Hochul has indicated she is respecting the input of other leaders—individuals like Jeffries and Rep. Gregory Meeks, who hold sway in their respective areas and could help shield the governor from backlash among voters of color.
While Jeffries has not advocated for Adams’ resignation, he acknowledged the worries expressed by New York Democrats.
“Most importantly, there are people in the communities who I represent in Brooklyn who are deeply alarmed at the unfolding events connected to the current mayor of the city of New York,” Jeffries stated.
The prospect of Adams vacating his office or abandoning his mayoral campaign presents difficult options for Hochul. If Adams were to exit the race, it could benefit Cuomo, who resigned in 2021 amid multiple harassment allegations, which he has denied. Cuomo maintains a support base among working-class voters of color and Jewish New Yorkers, who might otherwise lean towards Adams.
Should Hochul decide to oust Adams, a special election might allow Cuomo to utilize his name recognition and political stature effectively. Although he has not formally launched a bid for mayor, polls indicate that he would significantly outpace his less well-known opponents.
Despite their cooperative relationship thus far, the political environment remains volatile due to Adams’ declining standing.
“People need to be looking at these alternatives and say to themselves who can they trust to uphold the laws of all New Yorkers, who can they trust to defend their city against a tyrant, an oligarch,” remarked Jennifer Jones Austin, executive director of the Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies, which advocates for the impoverished.
Hochul is also well-acquainted with the workings of federal prosecutors, as her husband, Bill Hochul, served as a U.S. attorney during the Obama administration.
“You got to have one sane person in this state who can cut through all the crap and say, ‘What does my responsibility guide me to do?’” Hochul stated on Thursday.
Michael Gartland and Emily Ngo contributed to this report.
Sanya Singh for TROIB News
Democrats are increasingly urging the moderate governor to take action against Adams as he appears to be implementing the Trump administration’s conservative immigration policy, especially after a top Department of Justice official suggested that Adams' corruption case be dismissed.
This situation has dramatically shaken up the political landscape in New York.
In a surprising development, Hochul's lieutenant governor publicly called for Adams to resign. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, a cautious Brooklyn Democrat, is also expressing doubts about the mayor's political viability. Meanwhile, New York City’s public advocate, Jumaane Williams, who would temporarily assume the mayoralty should Adams vacate his position, has indicated he is ready to step up.
Former Governor Andrew Cuomo is lurking in the background, yet to announce his candidacy in the mayoral race. His return could be advantageous for him if Adams were to exit the political arena, as they share similar support bases.
This represents a challenging situation for any governor, and for Hochul, it poses a dilemma that could result in significant political fallout ahead of her 2026 reelection campaign.
“She probably didn’t want to be in this position at all,” said Democratic operative Lupe Todd-Medina.
The notion that Adams, the city’s second Black mayor elected on a law-and-order ticket, may be seen as a puppet for the Republican president has raised alarm among Democrats in the staunchly blue state. Tensions escalated on Thursday afternoon when former acting U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon resigned, alleging a “quid pro quo” to support Trump’s immigration policies. Although Sassoon rejected an order to conditionally dismiss the case, two Justice Department officials moved to submit that request to the court on the following day.
Adams’ attorney, Alex Spiro, has refuted Sassoon’s claims, calling them a “total lie.”
The mayor has unequivocally stated he will not resign.
“The mayor has been clear; he’s not stepping down, he’s stepping up,” Adams spokesperson Kayla Mamelak Altus said in a statement. “As he said yesterday, we must put this difficult episode behind us so that trust can be restored, New York can move forward, and we can continue delivering for the people of this city.”
Hochul had previously brushed aside inquiries about removing Adams but appeared less supportive in an MSNBC interview on Thursday night, revealing the limitations of her backing.
“The allegations are extremely concerning and serious, but I cannot as the governor of this state have a knee-jerk, politically motivated reaction like a lot of other people are saying right now,” she noted in the interview. “I’ve got to do it smart, what’s right and I’m consulting with other leaders in government right now.”
This scenario is particularly significant for Hochul, who has emphasized her collaborative efforts with Adams on public safety issues—a notable deviation from the often fraught relationships among past governors and mayors.
Should Hochul decide to remove Adams, she would require political backing, especially given his support among Black voters. Some clergy leaders, even those sympathetic to Cuomo, have indicated they would support Hochul if she must decide on Adams’ ouster.
“The moves the mayor has made here are totally unacceptable to us,” remarked Rev. Johnnie Green. “We’re out of options. We’re dealing with Mayor Trump now, if I may say. This isn’t a case of Mayor Adams being in charge.”
Although Green has yet to demand Adams’ resignation or removal, he noted that the mayor's support has diminished significantly.
“At some point, the levy is going to break,” Green stated.
However, Rev. Al Sharpton believes the circumstances should evolve further before pushing Hochul to act against Adams. Since the mayor’s case has not been officially dismissed, a federal judge’s decision might alter the situation again.
“If the judge comes back and says I’m not letting you stop the trial, there’s nothing for her to do,” Sharpton said regarding Hochul. “If the judge says that the charges are out, then you have an appeal to the governor because you can say the criminal justice system did not answer this. So what are we asking to do — to preempt the judge?”
Attorney General Letitia James, another ally of Hochul, has been cautious not to overstep her authority.
“There’s a number of discussions going on, discussions going on at the state level, discussions going on at the local level, private discussions. So at this point in time, we’re going to refrain from making comments until such time as we complete these discussions to determine the fate of the mayor of the city of New York,” she stated.
Their careful approaches might provide Hochul with some leeway, particularly as her political capital is limited at the moment. Her job approval ratings have suffered greatly over the past year, leading some Democrats to question her viability for re-election in 2026, despite her strong fundraising capabilities.
The unfolding Adams saga has also created a rift with lieutenant governor Antonio Delgado, who has called for Adams to resign. Hochul's spokesperson, Anthony Hogrebe, responded by clarifying that Delgado “does not now and has not ever spoken on behalf of this administration.”
Delgado seemed unfazed by the governor's office's reaction and stopped short of urging Hochul to remove Adams.
“The first step is to call for a resignation … give him a chance to think about the best way forward,” Delgado told reporters in Albany.
This episode illustrates the precarious political balancing act Hochul must perform in relation to Adams. Prominent Democrats in the state Legislature, including Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Deputy Senate Majority Leader Michael Gianaris, have urged her to remove the mayor.
Yet Hochul has indicated she is respecting the input of other leaders—individuals like Jeffries and Rep. Gregory Meeks, who hold sway in their respective areas and could help shield the governor from backlash among voters of color.
While Jeffries has not advocated for Adams’ resignation, he acknowledged the worries expressed by New York Democrats.
“Most importantly, there are people in the communities who I represent in Brooklyn who are deeply alarmed at the unfolding events connected to the current mayor of the city of New York,” Jeffries stated.
The prospect of Adams vacating his office or abandoning his mayoral campaign presents difficult options for Hochul. If Adams were to exit the race, it could benefit Cuomo, who resigned in 2021 amid multiple harassment allegations, which he has denied. Cuomo maintains a support base among working-class voters of color and Jewish New Yorkers, who might otherwise lean towards Adams.
Should Hochul decide to oust Adams, a special election might allow Cuomo to utilize his name recognition and political stature effectively. Although he has not formally launched a bid for mayor, polls indicate that he would significantly outpace his less well-known opponents.
Despite their cooperative relationship thus far, the political environment remains volatile due to Adams’ declining standing.
“People need to be looking at these alternatives and say to themselves who can they trust to uphold the laws of all New Yorkers, who can they trust to defend their city against a tyrant, an oligarch,” remarked Jennifer Jones Austin, executive director of the Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies, which advocates for the impoverished.
Hochul is also well-acquainted with the workings of federal prosecutors, as her husband, Bill Hochul, served as a U.S. attorney during the Obama administration.
“You got to have one sane person in this state who can cut through all the crap and say, ‘What does my responsibility guide me to do?’” Hochul stated on Thursday.
Michael Gartland and Emily Ngo contributed to this report.
Sanya Singh for TROIB News
