Randy Mastro withdraws nomination to be NYC's next corporation counsel
NEW YORK CITY - Randy Mastro is withdrawing his nomination to be the city's next corporation counsel, a familiar source told FOX 5 NY's Morgan McKay.
The City Council was set to vote on his nomination on Thursday.
Mastro faced a rough confirmation hearing last month over his record working for former Mayor Rudy Giuliani.
EXCLUSIVE: Randy Mastro unlikely to be confirmed to lead City Law Department - sources
The chances of Randy Mastro being confirmed as the city’s next corporation counsel are slim to none, according to numerous sources who attended a closed door Democratic council conference Wednesday afternoon.
In a letter to Mayor Adams, Mastro said his confirmation hearing a few weeks ago was "anything but fair". Mastro continued, "I had a hearing, but most council members weren't listening."
Mayor Eric Adams expressed his disappointment in a statement:
"Randy Mastro is widely recognized as one of our nation’s top lawyers who has fought for social justice, racial justice, LGBTQ+ rights, and is one of the only lawyers in New York who has taken on Donald Trump multiple times in court and won," Adams said in a statement. "It’s unfortunate that politics has seeped into this process and, as a result, will deprive New Yorkers of one of the most qualified candidates for this office our city has ever seen. I want to thank Randy for his willingness to serve the city he loves and his time and effort over the last few months meeting with members of the City Council to discuss his transformative vision for our esteemed Law Department."
The public hearing held Tuesday Aug. 27, on Mastro’s nomination went for more than 11 hours as council members pressed him on his controversial record.
But it was the testimony that came at the end of the day from Bridget Anne Kelly, a former aide to Governor Chris Christie and who was convicted for her role in the Bridgegate scandal, that council members called "damming" and "impactful".
Kelly testified that Mastro was "sexist" towards her, saying he "slut-shamed" and used her as a "scapegoat."
"Randy Mastro is a conniving and ruthless politician and operative who happens to be an attorney," Kelly testified with tears in her eyes.
But on top of Kelly’s testimony - council members pointed to Mastro’s years serving under the Giuliani administration, representing Christie in the bridgegate scandal, as well as the oil giant Chevron in a case centered on pollution in Ecuador and most recently for representing the state of New Jersey in its lawsuit against New York’s congestion pricing plan.
"There has to be a lawyer out there with a less offensive resume," another council member said.