Council Member Robert Holden is calling for Comptroller Brad Lander to recuse himself from any discussions surrounding the status of Mayor Eric Adams.
The demand follows Lander’s recent actions, which Holden has described as politically motivated and a misuse of city resources.
Holden’s statement was released in response to Lander’s letter to Mayor Adams on Feb. 17, which Holden alleges was politically charged and intended to further Lander’s own mayoral ambitions.
“The calls for Mayor Adams’ removal now reek of political maneuvering. What has changed since September until now? Comptroller Brad Lander must recuse himself from any discussions on the mayor’s status, including any role in the Inability Committee if it convenes,” Holden stated.
“These decisions must be free from political bias. I also urge the Department of Investigation and the Conflicts of Interest Board to examine Lander’s apparent misuse of city resources.”
Holden, who represents the District 30 neighborhoods of Ridgewood, Maspeth, Middle Village, Glendale, Elmhurst, and Rego Park, also pointed out what he called Lander’s apparent misuse of city resources.
In his letter to the New York City Department of Investigation (DOI) and the Conflicts of Interest Board (COIB), Holden specifically took issue with the fact that Lander’s letter was written on official city letterhead and used public resources to further what he deemed a campaign-related effort.
“Using official letterhead and staff to draft a politically charged letter that benefits his own mayoral ambitions is a clear abuse of public trust. New Yorkers deserve better,” he added.
In his formal request to the DOI and COIB, Holden urged both agencies to investigate Lander’s use of city time and resources for what he described as electioneering.
Holden emphasized that the timing of Lander’s letter and its content appeared to be motivated by political concerns rather than the governance of New York City. He pointed out that, as Lander is a declared candidate in the upcoming mayoral race, his use of city resources to distribute a communication with political implications was both inappropriate and potentially illegal.
“This blatant misuse of public resources for political gain must not be ignored,” Holden wrote.
“Public officials are bound by strict ethical guidelines to separate campaign activities from official government business. Comptroller Lander’s actions not only compromise the integrity of his office but also undermine public trust in the fair and impartial administration of government.”
Lander’s letter to Mayor Adams was written in response to his office receiving news that four of the City’s Deputy Mayors – including First Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer – had submitted their resignations and others had communicated their intent to resign.
He called into question the Mayor’s ability to lead the City after the U.S. Justice Department asked the U.S. District Court to drop the indictments against him as long as he complies with the White House “on matters of immigration and criminal justice policy.”
Lander demanded that Mayor Adams’ office develop and present a detailed contingency plan outlining how he would guide the City through this period of leadership transition, specifically surrounding the appointments of interim Deputy Mayors.
He demands this be done by Friday, Feb. 21. If not, Lander will seek to convene a meeting with the Inability Committee.
For now, Holden remains firm in his stance that Lander’s involvement in any discussions about Mayor Adams’ status would be a conflict of interest, urging the Comptroller to step aside for the sake of transparency and public trust.
