The New York City Council, in preparation for Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, stonewalled Mayor Eric Adams‘s attempts to appoint people to key governing bodies.
Adams’s administration submitted five Board of Health nominations as well as appointments to the Environmental Control Board and the City Planning Commission to the council last month.
Council staff informed the nominees that none would be approved out of deference to Mamdani’s incoming administration, Politico reported, which is likely to diverge significantly from Adams’s. Three of the health nominations were reappointments, and two were new nominees, including former Health Commissioner Dave Chokshi and Drug Policy Alliance Executive Director Kassandra Frederique.
City Hall took offense to the council’s decision, attacking outgoing Speaker Adrienne Adams, who has no relation to the mayor, for allegedly holding a “personal vendetta against the administration.”
“The outgoing speaker is unilaterally deciding on behalf of council members that they will be voting against reappointing health experts, despite having had no hearing,” City Hall spokeswoman Liz Garcia said in a statement.
Garcia said five nominees have withdrawn so far, including three Board of Health nominees and two City Planning Commission nominees. She said the administration asked the council to act on its Board of Health nominations for the past two months and the reappointments for the past few years.
Adams dropped his reelection bid in late September after his corruption scandal tanked his public support. He chose to endorse former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who lost to Mamdani in the general election.
Mamdani led in the polls for most of the campaign after the primary and was expected to win, giving Adams a chance to make moves in anticipation.
Adams is also trying to appoint and reappoint members to the Rent Guidelines Board, an important body that governs rent-stabilized units in the city. Mamdani will need the support of the board to enact his pledge to “freeze the rent” of rent-stabilized tenants.
The board voted to raise rent for tenants in the past two years.
First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro said a majority of the people on the board have been appointed by Adams.
“It’s a nine-person board,” Mastro said. “At least five of the people on that board would be people who were either appointed by Mayor Adams before or could be appointed by Mayor Adams to continue” into 2026.
Once Mamdani takes office, he’ll be able to appoint his own choices to the board once their terms expire.
He’s already started to clean house within City Hall. Mamdani’s transition informed more than 170 staffers in Adams’s administration that they will not return come Jan. 1. It’s common for incoming mayors to hire their own City Hall staff, but Adams’s administration was upset by the move.
“These long-time civil servants should not be the victims of political gamesmanship,” Adams spokesman Fabien Levy said.
ERIC ADAMS FIELDING THREE JOB OFFERS AFTER TERM EXPIRES: ‘GOD IS BLESSING ME’
Mamdani’s transition said the layoffs are standard practice and are essential for the mayor-elect’s agenda.
“As is standard practice for a mayoral transition, the Mayor-elect and his transition team are working to build their City Hall plan, which includes new staff in key roles to ensure they can deliver effectively on their agenda,” Mamdani transition spokeswoman Dora Pekec said.
