Being Next in Line for Mayor Adams, ‘You Don’t Know What’s Going to Happen’

Dear New Yorkers,

How does it feel to be first in line for mayor, especially when the person in front of you is Eric Adams, first-ever sitting mayor to be charged with federal crimes?

I asked Public Advocate Jumaane Williams about that last week. According to the City Charter, he’s the guy who would take over if Adams steps down, gets ousted or leaves the seat for any reason before his term ends.

Williams said he first gave that possibility serious thought back in September, when Adams’s former chief counsel Lisa Zornberg resigned late on a Saturday night, weeks before the mayor was indicted.

“That’s when we made sure that we had a plan for every eventuality,” Williams said. “But still, even then, you don’t know what’s going to happen.”

(Zornberg, for her part, walked briskly away from me when I spotted her on an uptown 6 train in November. She hasn’t spoken publicly about her departure but has since joined a private law firm.)

The public advocate’s role as mayoral successor came into sharper focus this week when the mayor, taking “off-topic” questions from reporters for the first time in two weeks, shared why he had a light schedule last week.

The answer was … very confusing.

After saying he had to undergo anesthesia last week — which his press secretary later said was for a colonoscopy — his office then claimed that procedure actually happened on Jan. 3. When those results came back weeks later, his staff said, Adams’ doctor ordered him to take it easy and undergo two tests — an MRI, bloodwork, and a test for stomach ulcers.

After all this news dropped on Wednesday, Williams said he was “deeply disturbed” that the mayor didn’t notify the public — or him, the charter-mandated next-in-line — that he was temporarily incapacitated by the anesthesia, whenever it was.

The mayor’s office said at the time that First Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer was briefly in charge while Adams was under.

“He has long demonstrated a tendency to test how far he can go in bending or breaking rules, and this is a clear example,” Williams said in a statement yesterday.

“Failing to communicate in this case is irresponsible at best and deceptive at worst.”

The mayor’s absence also prompted a flurry of rumors that he was resigning, which the mayor has passionately denied.

What We’re Reading …

• Where do the city’s political donors live? You can explore this map to see exactly that, created in a collaboration from the city’s Campaign Finance Board and the Center for Urban Research at the CUNY Graduate Center.
• Don’t forget: We’re going to be voting for borough presidents this year, too! Here’s coverage from the Riverdale Press of why Councilmember Rafael Salamanca Jr. is running to be The Bronx’s BP.
• City Councilmember Justin Brannan, who wants to be the city’s next comptroller, picked up endorsements from the Transport Workers Union and Teamsters Local 831, which represents sanitation workers. It’s the first big union endorsement in that race. (We’ll write more soon about why big labor endorsements can matter a lot in local races.)
• Prosecutors pointed to a wider probe in the bribery case against Adams’s former top aide.

What’s Ahead …

Days until the June primary: 138

Feb. 14: Deadline to choose a party before the primary. Pick your party before it’s too late!

Your Election Questions, Answered

❓Ilaria M. asked: I know the deadline to switch/choose a party is Feb. 14, but what about if I am registering for the first time? I won’t be eligible to register until March 6. Does this mean I wouldn’t be able to participate in the primary?

Answer: Not to worry! The Feb. 14 deadline is for people who are already registered to vote. If you are a new voter who is registering in New York for the first time, that deadline does not apply to you. You can choose a party (or not) when you register to vote. Just make sure you register before June 14 — that’s the voter registration deadline for the primary.

Have a question for our election team? Reply back to this email or send your questions to ask@thecity.nyc.

THE CAMPAIGN KICKER: Due dates are coming up next week for applications to join your neighborhood Community Education Council or Community Board. Don’t know what we’re talking about? We’ve got guides on both roles.

Related

Conclusion: As the situation surrounding Mayor Adams continues to unfold, it is clear that the public advocate, Jumaane Williams, is prepared to take on the role of mayor if necessary. However, the uncertainty surrounding the mayor’s future has raised concerns about the potential for disruption in the city’s government. As the primary election approaches, it is essential to stay informed about the candidates and their positions on various issues.

Frequently Asked Questions:

• What is the current situation with Mayor Adams?
• What is the role of the public advocate in this situation?
• What are the implications of the mayor’s potential resignation or removal?
• How will the city’s government function if the mayor is no longer in office?

For more information, please visit our website or contact our election team at ask@thecity.nyc.