Public Advocate Jumaane Williams was legally appearing mayor final week whereas Mayor Adams went underneath anesthesia for an undisclosed medical situation — and Williams is now accusing the mayor of violating the Metropolis Constitution by not informing him.
Adams revealed throughout his weekly press briefing on Wednesday that after feeling “a real pain” in his aspect, he underwent a sequence of exams final week, together with one which required anesthesia — making Williams appearing mayor throughout that point.
“Given the new disclosure of the mayor’s time under anesthesia last week, and his office’s failure to inform the public advocate of that fact at the time, it seems clear that this was a violation of the charter,” Williams stated in an announcement, additionally saying the mayor was “ignoring city regulations to suit his own purposes.”
The authorized technicality underneath the Metropolis Constitution meant that the title transferred to Williams whereas the mayor was underneath — though First Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer took on a lot of the precise job duties, Adams stated Monday.
“My executive order makes clear that if I can’t perform my duties, the first deputy will perform the duties and have the powers. That’s clear,” Adams stated, referring to an government order issued Sept. 26, the identical day he was indicted, that licensed his prime deputy to take over as mayor if he was quickly unable to finish his job duties.
Williams stated that merely designating sure duties to Torres-Springer “does not constitute the due diligence of a responsible leader, and it does not replace the charter’s language on the continuity of government.”
“Failing to communicate in this case is irresponsible at best and deceptive at worst,” Williams stated.
The Metropolis Constitution mandates that when a mayor has a “temporary inability to discharge the powers … by reason of sickness or otherwise,” the general public advocate turns into appearing mayor, much like how the county’s vp assumes the function of president if the president is quickly unable to do the job.
It permits the mayor to delegate to a deputy mayor, nevertheless, in order that the complete job duties nonetheless stay within the mayor’s workplace.
However final week, Williams stated the mayor’s workplace had not reached out to him.
“No,” the general public advocate stated Thursday. “I reached out to them just to make sure that we’re in communication.”
The town’s comptroller, who’s subsequent in line after the general public advocate was additionally not notified, stated Chloe Chik, Comptroller Brad Lander’s spokesperson.
“Everything we were required to do, we did. I spoke to the first deputy mayor, I spoke to the chief of staff, I spoke to those who needed to do what the executive order makes clear,” Adams stated.
It’s unclear for what size of time Adams was underneath, however he stated Tuesday that he took a step again from the limelight on the urging of his son, Jordan, after his physician informed him he’d need to bear a sequence of exams.
Louis Cholden-Brown, an lawyer and Metropolis Constitution skilled, expressed concern about the truth that the mayor’s workplace didn’t inform Williams about his standing as appearing mayor forward of time.
“They should have told Jumaane, because if something went wrong, like the mayor ending up in a coma, it would be bad if they just called Jumaane and informed him then,” Cholden-Brown stated.
Initially Revealed: February 5, 2025 at 3:06 PM EST
