NYC's Top Lawyer Nominee Withdraws After Bruising City Council Hearing

NYC's Top Lawyer Nominee Withdraws After Bruising City Council Hearing

Randy Mastro, Mayor Eric Adams' controversial pick for NYC's top lawyer, has withdrawn his nomination after facing a highly critical City Council hearing last month.

<img width="1200" height="800" src="https://www.amny.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/53952535795_d2e7180d67_o.jpg?w=1200" alt="Randy Mastro testifying before the City Council" decoding="async" fetchpriority="high" srcset="https://www.amny.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/53952535795_d2e7180d67_o.jpg 5358w, https://www.amny.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/53952535795_d2e7180d67_o.jpg?resize=700,467 700w, https://www.amny.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/53952535795_d2e7180d67_o.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https://www.amny.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/53952535795_d2e7180d67_o.jpg?resize=1200,800 1200w, https://www.amny.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/53952535795_d2e7180d67_o.jpg?resize=1536,1024 1536w, https://www.amny.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/53952535795_d2e7180d67_o.jpg?resize=2048,1365 2048w, https://www.amny.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/53952535795_d2e7180d67_o.jpg?resize=384,256 384w, https://www.amny.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/53952535795_d2e7180d67_o.jpg?resize=900,600 900w, https://www.amny.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/53952535795_d2e7180d67_o.jpg?resize=1600,1067 1600w, https://www.amny.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/53952535795_d2e7180d67_o.jpg?resize=50,33 50w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" title="Randy Mastro testifying before the City Council" >

Mastro's nomination faced strong opposition from the start, with many council members expressing concerns about his past work for former Republican Mayor Rudy Giuliani and his representation of conservative clients like ex-New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and the oil giant Chevron.

During the hearing, Council members grilled Mastro for 8.5 hours, accusing him of prioritizing the mayor's interests over those of the City Council and questioning his values and moral character. They also criticized the City Council Speaker for allegedly stacking the hearing against Mastro by delaying the testimony of his supporters.

In his withdrawal letter, Mastro criticized the City Council's conduct, calling the hearing “anything but fair” and accusing the City Council Speaker of attempting to “deny you the nominee of your choice”.

Mayor Adams blamed the council’s political agenda for Mastro’s withdrawal, saying it would deprive New Yorkers of a “qualified candidate”.

The City Council, however, maintains that Mastro's record and his perceived political loyalty made him unsuitable for the position. They are now looking for a “unifying” candidate who has the trust of all city officials.