What happens if Gov. Hochul removes NYC Mayor Adams from office?

NEW YORK CITY - New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is set to meet with key leaders today in Manhattan about what's next for the city after four senior deputies of New York City Mayor Eric Adams resigned on Monday.

Hochul said Monday she's weighing removing Adams from office, saying the departures of First Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer and other top officials raise "serious questions about the long-term future" of Adams’ administration.

According to reports, the governor is expected to consult with, among others, the top democrat in the House, Hakeem Jeffries, along with City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, Reverend Al Sharpton and Comptroller Brad Lander "for a conversation about the path forward."

Senior deputies announce resignations

What we know:

The governor says the resignations of First Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer, Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi, Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Anne Williams-Isom and Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Chauncey Parker have raised serious questions about the long-term future of this mayoral administration.  

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The latest on NYC Mayor Eric Adams’ criminal case, deputy mayors’ resignations

Trump's DOJ and Adams' lawyers are being summoned by a federal judge in New York to discuss the motion to dismiss Mayor Adams' criminal case.

What they're saying:

"Maria Torres-Springer, Anne Williams-Isom, Meera Joshi, and Chauncey Parker are extraordinary public servants who have been vital to our work reshaping New York City," Adams said in a statement. 

The other side:

Meanwhile, Hochul also released a statement, saying she recognizes "the immense responsibility I hold as governor and the constitutional powers granted to this office."

"In the 235 years of New York State history, these powers have never been utilized to remove a duly-elected mayor; overturning the will of the voters is a serious step that should not be taken lightly. That said, the alleged conduct at City Hall that has been reported over the past two weeks is troubling and cannot be ignored," Hochul said in a statement.

Comptroller Brad Lander, a mayoral candidate himself, wrote a letter to Adams urging him to present a contingency plan following the resignation of his top aides.

"Given the gravity of this situation and the chaos it has unleashed among New Yorkers, I formally request that your office promptly develop and present a detailed contingency plan outlining how you intend to manage the City of New York during this period of leadership transition," he said.

Speaker Adrienne Adams also released a statement calling on Adams to resign, saying he "lost the confidence and trust of his staff, colleagues and New Yorkers."

"He now must prioritize New York City and New Yorkers, step aside and resign. This administration no longer has the ability to effectively govern with Eric Adams as mayor," she said.

What happens if Hochul removes Adams from office?

What's next:

According to the Associated Press, the city’s charter lays out a court-like process by which the governor must first serve the mayor with a copy of charges she feels warrant his removal, then provide him with "an opportunity to be heard in his defense." 

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Mayor Adams on FOX with border czar in NYC: 'If he doesn’t deliver, I’ll be back'

"If he [Adams] doesn't come through, I'll be back in NYC," Homan said in the interview Friday, highlighting the pressure Adams faces to cooperate with the Trump administration's immigration crackdown.

But there is little precedent or blueprint for how that would work. 

As Hochul noted in her statement, the removal powers have never once been used against a sitting mayor in New York’s history.

What is Mayor Adams accused of?

The backstory:

Adams pleaded not guilty last September to charges that he accepted more than $100,000 in illegal campaign contributions and lavish travel perks from foreign nationals looking to buy his influence while he was Brooklyn borough president campaigning to be mayor.

The Justice Department said in its filing Friday that it was seeking to dismiss Adams’ charges with the option of refiling them later, which critics see as a carrot to ensure his compliance on President Donald Trump's objectives. 

In his memo ordering prosecutors to ditch the case, Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove said the new, permanent U.S. attorney would review the matter after the November election.