Gov. Hochul sidesteps Cuomo's mayoral ambitions: "We have a mayor"
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New York Gov. Kathy Hochul during an interview with Axios' Dan Primack on Oct. 22 in New York City. Photo: Sam Popp on behalf of Axios
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D), when asked about her former boss ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo's potential bid for New York City's top job as its mayor has been engulfed in scandal, said New Yorkers deserve "people with integrity" to lead the city.
The big picture: Hochul has gotten drawn into the Mayor Eric Adams chaos given her power to remove him, after he became the first indicted sitting mayor of New York in late September. She served as lieutenant governor under Cuomo until he resigned in 2021 over sexual harassment allegations.
- "I'm not here to pass judgment on people right now," Hochul told Axios' Dan Primack at Axios' BFD event in New York on Tuesday
- "Right now we have a mayor," she said."We have an elected mayor of the city of New York. Everything could change, or everything may not change."
- Hochul claimed she has restored stability and confidence for business leaders, calling the events of three weeks ago a "hair on fire moment."
State of play: Cuomo has signaled to allies that he was preparing to run for NYC mayor, Axios' Avery Lotz and Hans Nichols previously reported.
- Though Adams pleaded not guilty and has resisted calls to resign, many of the highest-ranking officials in city government have resigned or left their posts.
What she's saying: "New Yorkers deserve people with integrity and accomplishments and who do things for the right reasons, who will do it for the benefit of the people and not their own self-serving reasons," Hochul said on Tuesday.
- "So I will be looking for people like that."
Zoom in: Hochul on Tuesday also touched on another NYC controversy: the implementation of congestion pricing, which she stunned observers by halting it in June weeks before it was set to take effect. She confirmed she expects to reveal an alternate plan by the end of the year.
- She noted the state's legislature, which is involved in the process, is not in session now.
The paused plan would have reduced traffic and pollution in Manhattan while raising $1 billion per year for the Metropolitan Transit Authority.
- Electoral politics contributed to its demise.
Between the lines: Hochul she Tuesday said she "never used the word indefinitely" regarding the pause — though in June said she "directed the MTA to indefinitely pause" the congestion pricing program.
Flashback: When Hochul replaced Cuomo in 2021, she said his resignation was "the right thing to do and in the best interest of New Yorkers."
- She also said she would remove any executive chamber member who was implicated in Cuomo's alleged efforts to retaliate against women who accused him of sexual harassment.
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