Andrew Cuomo’s Future As NYC Mayor: ‘Speculation Is Premature’

As New York City Mayor Eric Adams faces growing calls to resign after being indicted on federal charges, a familiar name is surfacing as a possible replacement.

Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo reportedly told allies he was considering running for mayor even before the indictment surfaced, according to an Axios report. Cuomo has yet to publicly announce candidacy for the position.

“Governor Cuomo has spent a lifetime in public service fighting and delivering for the people of New York and will do whatever he can to help — that said, the speculation is premature as Governor Cuomo believes Mayor Adams is entitled to due process,” Cuomo spokesperson Rich Azzopardi told Newsweek.

Adams was indicted last week and pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, federal program bribery, and to receive campaign contributions by foreign nationals; wire fraud; solicitation of a contribution by a foreign national; and bribery.

Zephyr Teachout, a professor at Fordham Law School specializing in white collar crime and campaign finance law, spoke to Newsweek about how voters electing Cuomo as mayor will not solve the current corruption in New York City.

“He had corruption scandal after corruption scandal, and I think people are going to be really looking for somebody who can just do the job,” Teachout said.

She described the type of candidate New York City residents are looking for.

“People want someone who’s going to focus on effective management and not use loyalty and centralized power to create the conditions for this kind of corruption regime,” Teachout said.

The 57-page indictment accuses Adams of accepting over $100,000 in undisclosed gifts such as luxury travel and hotel stays from Turkish businesspeople and at least one Turkish government official.

“This was a multi-year scheme to buy favor with a single New York City politician on the rise, Eric Adams,” United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York Damian Williams said at a press conference on Thursday.

Teachout, who is also a former Democratic candidate for New York Governor and Attorney General, discussed the case Williams has built against Adams.

“Each of these, on their own, are very powerful charges and Damian Williams has shown the receipts, quite literally, in the indictment,” Teachout said. “And they’re also very powerful combined. Jurors don’t like luxury vacations. They don’t like coverups. And when you see the combination of the campaign finance, the fraud and the bribery charges, it’s a pretty damning cocktail. I’d say that Adams is in real trouble.”

Prosecutors allege Adams’ campaign also illegally obtained funds from “straw” donors, individuals who claimed to donate their own money but were actually funded by wealthy individuals and foreign nationals. Teachout gave an example of how a foreign individual may illegally contribute to a campaign in the U.S.

“If you were a foreign national, you might find a cousin and say, ‘Can you make this donation on my behalf?’ So what shows up on the campaign finance rolls is a citizen green card holder, but in fact, it was just a pass through for somebody who otherwise couldn’t make a donation,” Teachout said.

Cuomo’s Political Scandals

Cuomo was first elected as governor of New York in 2010, then re-elected in 2014 and 2018. He led the state through the COVID-19 pandemic before becoming enwrapped in scandals that would lead to his resignation in 2021.

During the pandemic, Cuomo faced allegations that his administration concealed deaths of nursing home residents from COVID-19. The Department of Justice and the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office found no evidence of wrongdoing in their investigations.

Multiple allegations of sexual harassment against Cuomo began emerging in late 2020. An investigation by New York Attorney General Letitia James found that Cuomo allegedly sexually harassed at least 11 women while in office.

What’s Next for Adams

Several politicians have called on Adams to resign, including New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

“I do not see how Mayor Adams can continue governing New York City,” Ocasio-Cortez wrote on X. “The flood of resignations and vacancies are threatening gov function. Nonstop investigations will make it impossible to recruit and retain a qualified administration. For the good of the city, he should resign.”

Teachout said Adams seems to be ignoring those calls for now.

“All bets are off in terms of what happens next,” Teachout said. “But we know that Adams will have a tendency to cling to power. That’s just who he is. He is not one to resign quickly.”

Several people in Adams’ administration announced they would leave office before news of the indictment broke.

Police Commissioner Edward Caban resigned on September 12 “for the good of this city” and the New York City Police Department.

Adams’ chief counsel, Lisa Zornberg, announced her resignation on September 15.

New York City schools chancellor David Banks announced his retirement two days before the indictment was unsealed. The retirement will take effect by the end of the year.

One day earlier, the city’s health commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan resigned for personal and family reasons.

Timothy Pearson stepped down from his role as senior adviser for public safety on Monday in the wake of Adams’ indictment.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul has the power to remove Adams from office now that he has been criminally charged. Adams does not need to go to trial or be convicted for her to exercise this power.

If Adams resigns or is removed, it will trigger a special election. Jumaane Williams, the city’s public advocate, would serve as acting mayor in the interim.

Hochul released a statement following Adams’ indictment.

“I have carefully reviewed the indictment released by the United States Department of Justice. This indictment is the latest in a disturbing pattern of events that has, understandably, contributed to a sense of unease among many New Yorkers,” Hochul said.

She has not given any indication as to whether or not she intends to seek Adams’ removal.

“My focus is on protecting the people of New York and ensuring stability in the City,” Hochul said. “While I review my options and obligations as the Governor of New York, I expect the Mayor to take the next few days to review the situation and find an appropriate path forward to ensure the people of New York City are being well-served by their leaders. We must give New Yorkers confidence that there is steady, responsible leadership at every level of government.”

Hochul and Adams often attended events together in New York City, including press conferences and parades.

Who is Alex Spiro?

The lawyer representing Adams on five federal charges has a history of representing high-profile clients, from Jay-Z to Alec Baldwin and many more.

Alex Spiro is serving as Adams’ attorney on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, federal program bribery, and to receive campaign contributions by foreign nationals; wire fraud; solicitation of a contribution by a foreign national; and bribery.

“Spiro is not just about whether a jury ultimately convicts. He’s also about shaping public opinion, and I think Adams is doing his best, but I don’t think he’s going to succeed,” Zephyr Teachout, a professor at Fordham Law School specializing in white collar crime and campaign finance law, told Newsweek.

Teachout said Adams is using Spiro to engage with key politicians in the Democratic party.

“Adams is speaking to Governor Hochul, to Chuck Schumer, to Hakeen Jeffries, through his lawyer and trying to use his lawyer, who’s being very public right now, to sow doubts about that investigation, so that you won’t see high profile elected officials calling for him to resign,” she said.

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