Hochul pushing staff changes at Titanic City Hall as she avoids ousting Adams before Nov. 5 election: sources

Gov.Kathy Hochul is intent on filling top posts in Eric Adams’ administration as City Hall turns into the “Titanic” — but insiders say she’s won’t push out the mayor before the election for fear of backlash.Exercising the governor’s authority to oust the embattled Adams would carry outsize political risks for Hochul, including alienating black leaders who’ve rallied behind Hizzoner and the unsavory potential of her former boss, Andrew Cuomo, jumping into the mayoral race, sources said.Hochul is likely also smarting from Rep.

Nancy Pelosi bluntly blaming her for 2022 losses in New York congressional races that cost Democrats their House majority, said political strategist Hank Sheinkopf.“The trick here is to not remove [Adams] before next June, if possible, so you don’t provide the opportunity for someone like Andrew Cuomo to come into power,” he said.“She is worried about suburban black votes.“She can’t take the risk of pushing him out before the November election and seem to be affecting the suburban black vote.

The best thing for her to do is get managers in place to run the city.”Several City Hall officials touched by churning federal investigations have either resigned or been forced out since Adams’ indictment — an exodus driven by Hochul’s behind-the-scenes decree that the mayor clean house if he wants to keep his job, according to sources.“She’s not looking to install people, but she wants to make sure the mayor has a strong team in place to help keep things running smoothly,” a source familiar with Hochul’s thinking said.Insiders said City Hall’s day-to-day functioning has all but been crippled as Adams battles federal bribery and corruption charges.“No one is picking up the phone over there,” a Democratic political operative said.“Everyone who is making decisions is hunkering down, trying to figure out how to fight, how to handle these investigations.”The stain of corruption and dysfunction is scar...