HOCHUL NAVIGATES: With Mayor Eric Adams facing a five-count federal indictment related to fraud and bribery, it falls to Gov. Kathy Hochul to navigate this sensitive period.
Hochul has conveyed both publicly and in private that Adams ought to cut ties with individuals in his administration who are facing legal challenges.
This week, Tim Pearson, a principal associate of Adams, stepped down. Schools Chancellor David Banks, whose phone was taken during an FBI raid in September, is exiting his position sooner than anticipated.
Adams informed the press this morning that Banks’ new departure timeline was partly to ensure a smooth transition for incoming Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos. However, he acknowledged that these discussions had taken place following conversations with other leaders.
“My team emphasized that we are seeking stability, and having both Melissa and David simultaneously did not provide the stability we desired,” he stated.
Over the past three years, Hochul has maintained a solid public relationship with Adams. Together, they have cultivated a perception of cooperation starkly contrasting the notorious disputes surrounding their predecessors — including Andrew Cuomo and Bill de Blasio, George Pataki and Rudy Giuliani, as well as Mario Cuomo and Ed Koch.
Yet Hochul, who possesses the authority to remove Adams from office, is not shy about utilizing her influence amid rising concerns over city governance.
On Wednesday, Hochul indicated that she has been collaborating with Adams to guarantee that key positions are filled by “responsible” individuals.
“We anticipate changes, and that’s no secret,” she remarked. “Changes are already underway.”
The first governor from western New York in a century, Hochul has become increasingly immersed in the state’s political landscape since assuming a statewide role in 2015, according to her acquaintances.
“Her focus is on the state as a whole at this point,” said political consultant and lobbyist Jack O’Donnell. “New York City was instrumental in her housing agenda. She has learned to navigate both the political and governance challenges of the city.”
Some advocates for good governance wish she would take a more aggressive stance.
“She’s not cleaning house; she’s merely suggesting you should occasionally tidy up your own space,” said John Kaehny, Executive Director of Reinvent Albany. “This approach lacks aggressiveness.” — Nick Reisman
GIBBS ARRESTED: State Assemblymember Eddie Gibbs was taken into custody by the New York City Police Department on Thursday within his East Harlem district, according to witnesses, as reported by POLITICO.
Sources within the NYPD indicated that Gibbs’ brother was pulled over for operating an unregistered vehicle. Gibbs was also present in the car and became engaged in a heated exchange with officers, leading to his arrest and subsequent summons.
Nearly a dozen police vehicles responded to the incident on Lexington Avenue, near the James Weldon Johnson Community Center, according to security guard Frederick Thomas from the New York City Housing Authority. Officers from the Strategic Response Group searched Gibbs, placed him in handcuffs, and transported him from the scene.
Three additional eyewitnesses corroborated Gibbs’ arrest to POLITICO. The incident was initially reported by the New York Post.
Attempts to reach Gibbs via phone and at his office yielded no response, and the NYPD press office stated they had no information regarding the incident. Gibbs’ district office was closed on Thursday. The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office did not respond immediately to a request for comment.
Gibbs is a close legislative supporter of Mayor Adams, whose administration is currently embroiled in criminal investigations. There is no indication that Gibbs’ arrest is connected. — Jeff Coltin
DON’T BLAME ME, BLAME HIM: Outgoing Schools Chancellor Banks disclosed on Thursday that Mayor Adams compelled his early resignation — shedding light on a rift between the long-time associates as federal investigations engulf the administration, according to POLITICO Pro.
In his first comments following the announcement from City Hall about his resignation, which is set for mid-October — three months sooner than anticipated — Banks confirmed he never intended to step down so quickly.
Now that his ongoing conflict with Adams is public knowledge, Banks issued a statement via the TASC Group, a public relations firm he hired, rather than through the Department of Education. He noted he would remain in his role for the next two weeks.
“Last week, I announced my intended departure, and I was fully prepared to serve until December 31st to ensure a smooth transition for our staff,” Banks stated. “The Mayor has chosen to expedite that schedule. My priority will be to support the incoming Chancellor as she takes on this new responsibility and continues our important work at New York City Public Schools.”
Request for comments from the DOE and City Hall about why Banks chose to issue the statement through the firm went unanswered.
When asked if he still serves as Banks’ spokesperson, DOE press secretary Nathaniel Styer replied, “I am the press secretary for New York City Public Schools.” — Madina Touré
ANOTHER TOP AIDE UNDER SCRUTINY: Jesse Hamilton, a long-time political associate of Mayor Adams, who oversees the city’s real estate portfolio, had his phone confiscated by investigators on Friday, according to two sources familiar with the situation, as reported by POLITICO.
His phone was seized by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office at JFK Airport as Hamilton returned from a vacation in Japan, accompanied by Adams’ chief advisor Ingrid Lewis-Martin, as per the sources who spoke with POLITICO under anonymity.
A former state senator, Hamilton is yet another high-ranking appointee of Adams’ caught up in the criminal investigations surrounding City Hall.
The seizure of his phone was initially reported by the Daily News, which mentioned that an employee from commercial real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield was also present on the trip. Additionally, it appears that Cushman’s vice chair, Diana Boutross, has a connection with Lewis-Martin, based on POLITICO’s review. — Joe Anuta
IN OTHER NEWS
— LAWLER IN BLACKFACE: Rep. Mike Lawler donned blackface as part of a Halloween costume during his college years nearly twenty years ago, per photos. (New York Times)
— NY-17 BALLOT BATTLE: Democratic allies of former Rep. Mondaire Jones filed a lawsuit in a last-minute attempt to remove a “spoiler” Working Families Party candidate from the ballot. (New York Post)
— HOSTING ‘RESPECTFUL’ DISCUSSIONS: In anticipation of protests marking the first anniversary of the October 7 attacks on Israel, NYC college campuses are organizing events to promote “respectful, open dialogue.” (Gothamist)
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