Adams administration shares list of Mastro supporters

New York City Mayor Eric Adams has been assembling allies in anticipation of his coming battle with the City Council over his pick for corporation counsel Randy Mastro.

One day after officially nominating Mastro as the city’s top lawyer, the Adams administration rolled out a list of former state and city officials who are voicing support for the mayor’s nominee. The list, shared with City & State ahead of its release, features quotes from a broad spectrum of Mastro supporters, including former Gov. David Paterson, former New York City Comptroller Bill Thompson, former New York City public advocate Betsy Gotbaum (all of whom have written op-eds supporting Mastro),  New York City’s first Public Advocate Mark Green, former Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance, several attorneys who formerly served as corporation counsel under previous mayors, and a slew of others.

The array of statements laud Adams’ decision to nominate Mastro, praising the controversial lawyer for his decades-long career and attesting he’d bring strong principles to the city Law Department. The endorsements come as what will likely be a tough clash with the City Council looms. Mastro, a former federal prosecutor and former aide to then-Mayor Rudy Giuliani, must be confirmed by a majority of the City Council’s 51 members before he can assume the powerful position. Many of those members have said they oppose his nomination – including most of the individuals in the council’s 34-member Black, Latino and Asian Caucus and six-member LGBTQIA+ Caucus – making it essential for Mastro and the Adams administration to win supporters in the weeks ahead. 

The mayor has for months been lobbying council members in hopes of building support. Showcasing that there is enthusiastic support for Mastro among many former New York officials is no doubt part of his ongoing strategy.

“Randy is a proven leader and has the will, determination, and compassion needed to deliver real results for the residents of the City of New York,” Paterson, who wrote an op-ed supporting Mastro in April, said in a statement included in the list. “I always appreciated his partnership helping to provide relief for communities in Harlem when they were facing true quality of life issues that we needed the city’s help to address.”

“Randy has advocated for countless reforms to keep government functioning effectively for the people. As both a professional and personal friend, I have the greatest regard for Randy. Bravo Mayor Adams for this brilliant appointment,” Gotbaum, executive director of good government group Citizens Union, also said. Mastro is chair of the organization.

Some of the supporting statements acknowledged aspects of Mastro’s history that have drawn City Council concerns. Green, who served eight years as public advocate during the Giuliani administration, said it would be unfair to attribute the controversial former mayor’s views and performance to Mastro. 

“I doubt there was anyone more critical of Mayor Giuliani than I was as the public advocate during his eight years in office. But I regarded Randy – on matters when I disagree with the mayor and on those occasions when Randy and I worked together, like reforming the city's private carting industry and expanding domestic partnership protections to include same-sex couples – as very smart, tough, honest, formidable, and constructive,” Green said. “I am therefore confident that he will serve his client, the city, well."

City Council members have attributed their opposition to Mastro’s past work for controversial clients like New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s office during the Bridgegate scandal, oil company Chevron and Manhattan residents fighting homeless shelters. The Adams administration has repeatedly defended Mastro’s record, highlighting reports that called him the “conscience” of the Giuliani administration, describing him as a life-long Democrat and a long-time pro-bono advocate for social justice, civil rights, and constitutional rights. 

New York City Council spokesperson Julia Agos said in a statement Tuesday that Mastro will get a hearing and vote by mid-September – a task the City Council takes seriously. “The Corporation Counsel has the special responsibility of representing all of City government, which includes its agencies and all elected officials. The person in this role must have the faith of all city officials and the talented attorneys in the Law Department,” she said.

In a television interview Tuesday, Mastro said City Council members’ criticism came before they got to know him. 

“I’ve had the chance to meet with the majority of the members of the City Council and I’ve found them to be fair and open-minded,” he said. “When I believe they get to know me, they will like me and they will like what I bring to the table.”

Others included in City Hall’s list of supporters were:

Victor Kovner, former New York City corporation counsel under Mayor David Dinkins

Zachary Carter, former New York City corporation counsel under Mayor Bill de Blasio

Michael Hess, former New York City corporation counsel under Giuliani

Michael Cardozo, former New York City corporation counsel under Mayor Mike Bloomberg and president of the New York City Bar Association

Peter Sherwood, former New York State Supreme Court justice and corporation counsel under Mayor David Dinkins

former Bronx Borough President Fernando Ferrer

former Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.

former New York City Council Speaker Peter Vallone Sr.

Ken Fisher, partner at Cozen O’Connor and former New York City council member

Deborah Wright, former commissioner of the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development

Rudy Washington, commissioner of the New York City Civil Service Commission and former New York City deputy mayor

Ninfa Segarra, former New York City deputy mayor and former member of the New York City Board of Education

Ester Fuchs, former special adviser to Bloomberg and former adviser to Dinkins

Joseph Rose, former chair of the New York City Planning Commission

Jennifer Raab, president and CEO of the Stem Cell Research Foundation and former chair of the Landmarks Preservation Commission

Muzzy Rosenblatt, CEO of the Bowery Residents' Committee and former acting commissioner of the New York City Department of Homeless Services

Kevin McCabe, former chief of staff for Vallone

Fran Reiter, CEO, New York State Forum and former New York City deputy mayor

Joseph Lhota, former New York City deputy mayor and former CEO and chair of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority

Elsie McCabe Thompson, former chief of staff to Dinkins

Stacey Cumberbatch, board member at the Citizens Union

Richard Weinberg, former general counsel for the City Council and New York State Supreme Court Justice