Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has responded after a prominent ex-official endorsed him to run for mayor of New York City against incumbent first-termer Eric Adams. 

Former state comptroller Carl McCall, 89, released an open letter backing Cuomo on Saturday. Cuomo has not formally declared his candidacy in the race, though he is polling as the top potential challenger to Adams in June's primary.

In response to the letter, Cuomo, who resigned as governor in 2021 amid scandals connected to COVID-19 nursing home deaths and sexual harassment claims, acknowledged the history that he and his family share with McCall. Cuomo has always denied the allegations against him. 

"Carl and I have a special bond that starts before me.  I first had the pleasure of meeting Carl when I was in my early 20s when he worked with my father, the late Mario Cuomo, as the state's human rights commissioner and together the two fought to make New York a fairer, more just place for all who live here." 

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"In these divisive and troubling times, his voice is needed more than ever – for his is one of moral clarity, experience and guided by what is right for the people above all else," Cuomo wrote Saturday. 

"Today, in these uncertain times, and after more than four decades of friendship and counsel, I thank him for his faith in me and for his advice, trust and confidence," Cuomo said. "His sentiments are both humbling and deeply meaningful."

In his letter, McCall did not cite Adams by name, but he appeared to indirectly slam how the Justice Department on Friday asked a court to dismiss corruption charges against Adams that were filed during the Biden administration. Adams met with President Donald Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, last week, agreeing to work together as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) cracks down on criminal illegal immigrants.

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"Donald Trump wants us to fail as a community. For that reason, the leadership of New York City has rarely, if ever, been as vital as it is today," McCall wrote. "The Mayor of New York must not only have the competence and capacity to manage the City’s real challenges, but the mayor must have the ability to defend our city and demonstrate a powerful counterbalance to President Trump. The people of New York cannot be represented by someone whose loyalty to the city is compromised — we deserve a Mayor of New York to be for New York." 

McCall, a Black elder statesman who once ran in a contentious gubernational primary against Cuomo in 2002, turned on Adams, who is New York City’s second Black mayor. McCall endorsed Adams’ 2021 mayoral campaign. 

"I have never publicly urged a candidate to run for office. But I have never before felt it so necessary to use my voice," McCall wrote Saturday. "For these reasons, I urge Governor Andrew Cuomo to run for Mayor of the City of New York and I offer my full support."

"I’ve known Andrew for over 40 years. Some might be surprised that I am supporting Andrew so strongly and so early," the letter continued. "But despite how it is sometimes framed in the press, we were never political adversaries: twenty years ago, we were competing candidates who shared then and share now the same core values of what is right and wrong and sought to make New York a better place."

"More than anyone else, Andrew is the leader we need and the leader we deserve," McCall wrote. 

Despite still not having declared a mayoral bid, Cuomo released a campaign-style video on Valentine's Day, in which he told senior citizens, "I missed you," and declaring that "the strongest four-letter word is not hate, it’s love." 

Albany politicians have questioned Adams’ independence from Trump after the DOJ asked that the corruption charges be dropped, and some prosecutors resigned amid allegations of a quid pro quo agreement. 

In response, Adams said Friday on X, "I want to be crystal clear with New Yorkers: I never offered — nor did anyone offer on my behalf — any trade of my authority as your mayor for an end to my case. Never." 

Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has responded after a prominent ex-official endorsed him to run for mayor of New York City against incumbent first-termer Eric Adams. 

Former state comptroller Carl McCall, 89, released an open letter backing Cuomo on Saturday. Cuomo has not formally declared his candidacy in the race, though he is polling as the top potential challenger to Adams in June's primary.

In response to the letter, Cuomo, who resigned as governor in 2021 amid scandals connected to COVID-19 nursing home deaths and sexual harassment claims, acknowledged the history that he and his family share with McCall. Cuomo has always denied the allegations against him. 

"Carl and I have a special bond that starts before me.  I first had the pleasure of meeting Carl when I was in my early 20s when he worked with my father, the late Mario Cuomo, as the state's human rights commissioner and together the two fought to make New York a fairer, more just place for all who live here." 

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"In these divisive and troubling times, his voice is needed more than ever – for his is one of moral clarity, experience and guided by what is right for the people above all else," Cuomo wrote Saturday. 

"Today, in these uncertain times, and after more than four decades of friendship and counsel, I thank him for his faith in me and for his advice, trust and confidence," Cuomo said. "His sentiments are both humbling and deeply meaningful."

In his letter, McCall did not cite Adams by name, but he appeared to indirectly slam how the Justice Department on Friday asked a court to dismiss corruption charges against Adams that were filed during the Biden administration. Adams met with President Donald Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, last week, agreeing to work together as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) cracks down on criminal illegal immigrants.

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"Donald Trump wants us to fail as a community. For that reason, the leadership of New York City has rarely, if ever, been as vital as it is today," McCall wrote. "The Mayor of New York must not only have the competence and capacity to manage the City’s real challenges, but the mayor must have the ability to defend our city and demonstrate a powerful counterbalance to President Trump. The people of New York cannot be represented by someone whose loyalty to the city is compromised — we deserve a Mayor of New York to be for New York." 

McCall, a Black elder statesman who once ran in a contentious gubernational primary against Cuomo in 2002, turned on Adams, who is New York City’s second Black mayor. McCall endorsed Adams’ 2021 mayoral campaign. 

"I have never publicly urged a candidate to run for office. But I have never before felt it so necessary to use my voice," McCall wrote Saturday. "For these reasons, I urge Governor Andrew Cuomo to run for Mayor of the City of New York and I offer my full support."

"I’ve known Andrew for over 40 years. Some might be surprised that I am supporting Andrew so strongly and so early," the letter continued. "But despite how it is sometimes framed in the press, we were never political adversaries: twenty years ago, we were competing candidates who shared then and share now the same core values of what is right and wrong and sought to make New York a better place."

"More than anyone else, Andrew is the leader we need and the leader we deserve," McCall wrote. 

Despite still not having declared a mayoral bid, Cuomo released a campaign-style video on Valentine's Day, in which he told senior citizens, "I missed you," and declaring that "the strongest four-letter word is not hate, it’s love." 

Albany politicians have questioned Adams’ independence from Trump after the DOJ asked that the corruption charges be dropped, and some prosecutors resigned amid allegations of a quid pro quo agreement. 

In response, Adams said Friday on X, "I want to be crystal clear with New Yorkers: I never offered — nor did anyone offer on my behalf — any trade of my authority as your mayor for an end to my case. Never." 

New York City plans to file a lawsuit against the Trump administration after the federal government pulled more than $80 million in funding for illegal immigrant shelters, but it appears the city's lawyers could be acting without Mayor Eric Adams' blessing.

The city's law department sent a letter Friday to city Comptroller Brad Lander saying that it planned to take legal action by the end of next week to have the $80.5 million in FEMA payments taken earlier this week returned, according to the New York Post. Lander is running against Adams in June's Democratic Party primary election for the city's mayor. Adams, meanwhile, has shown a willingness to work with the Trump administration, which has dropped a criminal case against him.

"The Law Department is currently drafting litigation papers with respect to this matter," corporation counsel Mureil Goode-Trufant told Lander in a letter, the outlet reported.

"We intend to initiate legal action by February 21, 2025. As the Law Department is representing the City of New York in this matter, there is no need for an authorization for the Comptroller’s Office to engage external legal counsel," the letter reads.

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The letter came after Lander urged the Adams administration to either file a lawsuit or authorize him to hire his own attorneys to sue Trump and Elon Musk, who leads the Department of Government Efficiency.

"Given the gravity of the situation, we cannot afford to waste any more time. If the Mayor would prefer to spend his days advancing President Trump’s agenda instead of fighting for New Yorkers, then the Law Department must allow me to do so," Lander said in a statement Friday.

"Recovering these funds is imperative, and any action, or non-action, allowing the Trump administration to proceed without consequence would set a dangerous precedent and make our City a target for the next four years," he added.

The revocation of FEMA funds from New York City’s accounts happened Tuesday and was first discovered by Lander the following day.

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"Let's be crystal clear: This is highway robbery. Elon Musk, with no legal authority, illegally seized federal funds from New Yorkers," Lander said Wednesday.

Musk claimed that DOGE found a $59 million FEMA payment to New York City was being used on luxury hotels to house illegal migrants. Trump later repeated Musk's claim and argued that "massive fraud" was happening.

New York City was awarded two separate grants during the Biden administration — one for $58.6 million and another for $21.9 million — as the city attempted to pay to house migrants, many of whom were sent by Texas officials who were frustrated with the Biden administration's handling of the influx of migrants entering the U.S. through the Southern Border.

The payments were made under the Shelter and Services Program that Congress appropriated $650 million for last year to help local governments respond to the migrant crisis.

The FEMA money, which was funded by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, paid $12.50 a night reimbursement for each hotel room. The city said most of the hotels used to house migrants are not luxurious. The remainder of the funds went toward security, food and other services for migrants.

This came after the Department of Justice ordered prosecutors to drop their federal corruption case against Adams, who had been indicted on charges of fraud, bribery and soliciting campaign contributions from foreigners. Some have raised concerns that Adams may be beholden to the president because his case was dropped.