City Council leaders on Wednesday fumed over Mayor Eric Adams administration officials not showing up to a hearing on preparing for Trump’s deep funding cuts and submitting written testimony instead — a move they said shows Hizzoner “remains silent” in the face of Trump’s attacks.
City Council Member Lincoln Restler (D-Brooklyn), a frequent Adams critic, opened the proceedings by pointing out that no one from the mayor’s administration was present. The hearing came after the council released a plan to “Trump-proof” city services against federal funding cuts from the president and billionaire Elon Musk, who heads the so-called “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE).
Restler argued that the administration’s absence at the hearing demonstrated that City Hall was not only unprepared for an onslaught of cuts to funding that supported vital programs but also that Adams was seemingly more loyal to Trump than the city he governed.
“Today, no one from the Adams administration is here to answer our questions,” Restler said. “The mayor once again has chosen to be silent while Donald Trump makes us less safe, destabilizes our economy, and deports our neighbors. The lack of planning and preparation by this administration for the impending tsunami of cuts is a complete dereliction of duty.”
Restler also noted that the council had not received the administration’s written testimony by the start of the hearing. The mayor’s office said the testimony was later sent to the council.
City Council Finance Chair Justin Brannan charged that City Hall only informed the legislative body late Tuesday night that it would not send anyone to testify at the hearing and would instead submit written remarks.
“It’s an absolute disgrace that the administration chose to refuse to show up today,” said Brannan, who happens to be running for NYC comptroller. “It’s a slap in the face to every New Yorker who deserves answers. At a moment of unprecedented budget threats, the administration should be standing with us and not ducking accountability. Read More…
Source:QNS
