Adams Indicted, Dragnet Closing On His Admin + Cuomo May Run
No. 394 | Monday, September 30, 2024
The NYC Thorn is a weekly roundup of local political news compiled by members of NYC-DSA.
Local News
Mayor Adams was indicted in a federal corruption investigation relating to illegal campaign contributions and unreported gifts from Turkish business interests that spanned his tenures as Brooklyn Borough President and Mayor.
The federal corruption indictment is only one of several other ongoing criminal investigations facing Adams and his closest aides that have not yet produced an indictment, but appear to be proceeding.
Adams’ chief advisor Ingrid Lewis-Martin was served with a federal subpoena and also had her phones seized by the Manhattan DA, implying that she was associated with two separate escalating criminal investigations.
Adams faced calls to resign from many politicians in local and state office, but refused to do so. He has not yet faced calls to resign from Governor Hochul, who has the ability to remove him from office if she chooses to use.
Governor Hochul’s attempt to dismiss two lawsuits that would force her to implement congestion pricing was denied. A third lawsuit to compel the state to start the congestion pricing program is being filed by disability advocates this week.
The NYC Sheriff’s Office has shut down over 1000 illegal cannabis storefronts since May. However, NYC Department of Investigation has opened a probe into the Sheriff’s Office for illegally mishandling cash seized from these stores.
The City Planning Commission passed the Mayor’s “City of Yes” zoning reform proposal, sending it to the City Council for a final vote.
The City Council passed a bill that would legalize jaywalking in the city, after reports showed that 96.5% of New Yorkers who receive jaywalking summonses in the city were Black or Hispanic.
During a contempt of court hearing surrounding the nine-year-old federal consent decree that compelled the City to improve conditions at Rikers Island, a federal judge indicated her willingness to take jurisdiction of Rikers Island away from city authorities.
Election News
With Adams’ mayoralty going down in flames, former Governor Andrew Cuomo is increasingly believed to be organizing for a mayoral campaign that would claim the support of business and real estate interests that supported Adams’ initial run.
City and State broke down the six ballot measures that will be on all general election ballots in New York City this November.
The Brooklyn Democratic Party struck down attempts to reform its internal “proxy voting” system, which allows party chair Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn to exert absolute control over the party’s committees and finances.
The NYC Local
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