New York
Giuliani claimed that he was not given a fair hearing by the City Council
Randy Mastro Withdraws His Nomination for Top N.Y.C. Lawyer. Randy Mastro, a former federal prosecutor and aide to Mayor Rudolph W.
Updated 2024-Oct-06 20:34
Randy Mastro, speaks into a microphone with a crowd of people seated behind him.
After reports of legal disputes with the Adams administration Sylvia O. Hinds Radix the previous corporation counsel departed in May.
Muriel Goode Trufant is currently acting as the corporation counsel. There was a strong resistance to Mr.He was far from reaching the majority of the 51 member Council required to approve his appointment. Both the Black Latino and Asian as well as Progressive Caucuses within the council did not support his nomination.
A letter from Latino City Council members circulated on Tuesday urging Mr. Adams to withdraw Mr. Mastro’s nomination.
Many council members were preparing speeches to harshly criticize Mr. Mastro even more during the vote.
Mastro stated that he planned to pursue legal action that would be in line with the Council s objectives.
Those assurances were insufficient. Mastro mentioned in his letter that despite having a hearing most council members didn t pay attention to his points.
Mayor Eric Adams’s choice to become the city’s top lawyer asked on Tuesday for his nomination to be withdrawn after the City Council questioned his fitness for the office during a bruising 11 hour hearing last month.
Randy Mastro a former federal prosecutor and aide to Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani had little chance of Council approval for what he described as his dream job.
But Mr. Adams pushed on with the nomination mounting a monthslong campaign to gain support. New Yorkers have a right to expect more from their elected officials Mr.Mastro wrote in a letter to Mr. Adams. He added that he was being denied an opportunity to serve the role the corporation counsel based on a hearing that was anything but fair.
The Council which was to vote on his nomination on Thursday questioned whether Mr. Adams chose Mr.Mastro because of his reputation as an aggressive attorney as the mayor faced a federal investigation into his campaign fund raising and a civil sexual assault lawsuit.
Last week federal authorities took the phones of several members of Mr. Adams’s inner circle including the police commissioner first deputy mayor schools chancellor deputy mayor for public safety and a senior adviser to the mayor.
During the hearing last month many Democratic members questioned Mr. Mastro’s morals and ethics based on some of the clients he has represented including fast food restaurant owners opposed to increasing the minimum wage and Chevron which he defended over pollution in the Ecuadorean rain forest.
The Council also questioned Mr. Mastro’s past association with Mr. Giuliani who has undergone a very public decline.
Mr. Mastro had argued that he would not just be the mayor’s lawyer but would represent the entire city.
He also cited his pro bono work for members of the L. G. B. T. Q. Community and homeless people. It’s unfortunate that politics has seeped into this process and as a result will deprive New Yorkers of one of the most qualified candidates for this office our city has ever seen Mr.Adams said in a statement.
They had already decided he added for reasons not based on the merits. Reporting was contributed by William K.Adrienne Adams the Speaker of the City Council articulated her belief that Mr. Mastro s nomination was part of Mr.Adams s efforts to limit the Council s legislative authority. During last month s hearing Ms. Adams stated that Mastro s extensive client list was not in line with the city s long term interests.
The Council s spokesperson Julia Agos mentioned that Mastro failed to address his actions during the Giuliani administration that negatively impacted marginalized communities.
The Council is open to collaborating with Mr. Adams to select a nominee who is unifying and trustworthy.
Despite the criticism some Council members supported Mastro. Robert Holden an individual.
