NYC Mayor Eric Adams mulling ex-Giuliani official Randy Mastro for top deputy post after push from Frank Carone

Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News on Feb 19, 2025

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NEW YORK — With his administration in turmoil, Mayor Eric Adams is considering making controversial attorney Randy Mastro his next top deputy at City Hall after Frank Carone, one of the mayor’s most trusted advisers, mounted a behind-the-scenes push, according to sources familiar with the matter.

Mastro, a onetime official in Mayor Rudy Giuliani’s administration, went through a bruising City Council nomination fight last year to become Adams’ corporation counsel. After Adams’ team spent months trying to win support for Mastro, he withdrew his nomination two days before an expected vote as the Council’s Democrats made clear they would reject him over concerns about his history of championing conservative causes in court.

Now, amid mass resignations in the upper ranks, Mastro’s name has resurfaced at City Hall as Adams mulls making him the next first deputy mayor — with the potential appointment picking up steam after Carone launched an internal advocacy effort for the contentious lawyer, three sources familiar with the matter told the Daily News.

Sources said Carone has spoken directly to Adams about tapping Mastro for the post, which is being vacated by Maria Torres-Springer, one of four deputy mayors who announced this week they’re resigning due to concerns about Adams’ ability to lead. NY1 first reported Tuesday Adams is eyeing Mastro for first deputy.

Carone, Adams’ ex-chief of staff and longtime political adviser, is known to have the mayor’s ear on sensitive issues, especially, the sources said, in recent weeks as he’s facing mounting calls to resign or be removed from office following the Trump administration’s unusual attempt to dismiss his corruption case.

Asked about Mastro, Carone — who’s also playing a leading role on Adams’ reelection bid this year — told The News late Tuesday he doesn’t “comment on private discussions except to say I always believe in finding the most qualified person.”

“I recall that during the era of the great New York Giants team, then-GM George Young used to say the team drafts the best player available, period, regardless of what need they may have,” Carone added in a reference to the football franchise’s late general manager. “I subscribe to that philosophy as well.”

Mastro didn’t return calls this week. Adams’ office didn’t immediately return requests for comment.

It’s unclear if Adams is considering anyone else for first deputy mayor, a post that comes with sweeping influence over city government operations.

Unlike corporation counsel, Mastro wouldn’t need Council approval to serve as first deputy. Under Giuliani, Mastro was deputy mayor for operations, and he has since built up a lengthy litigation record that includes representing New Jersey in an unsuccessful effort to kill the city’s congestion pricing plan.

Mastro’s return to the headlines comes during one of the most chaotic weeks in Adams’ career.

Torres-Springer along with three of her fellow deputy mayors, Meera Joshi, Anne Williams-Isom and Chauncey Parker, submitted their resignations Monday. Sources say NYPD official Kaz Daughtry is under consideration to replace Parker, the deputy mayor for public safety, while it’s unclear who might succeed the other DMs.

The four DMs submitted resignations after sources say they privately told Adams they’re concerned about whether he has the city’s best interests in mind as Trump’s Department of Justice has moved to dismiss the indictment charging him with taking bribes and illegal campaign cash in exchange for political favors.

Under the dismissal — which must be approved by a judge — Adams’ indictment would be dropped immediately, but could be resurrected for a new prosecution as early as November.

In the interim, Trump’s DOJ leaders wrote they expect squashing the corruption case will enable Adams to play a more active role in helping Trump’s hardline immigration efforts, a caveat the deputy mayors told him makes them uneasy about his governing abilities, according to sources.

Trump’s DOJ political appointees had to file the dismissal motion Friday night after more than a half dozen prosecutors, including Manhattan’s interim U.S. attorney, refused and resigned in protest out of concern they’d violate lawyer rules against letting criminal cases be influenced by politics.

Meantime, Gov. Kathy Hochul met with top local elected officials Tuesday to discuss the possibility of removing Adams from office. Adams has rejected calls to resign while maintaining he has done nothing wrong.