Mayor Eric Adams named four new deputies on Friday to fill critical roles at New York City Hall in the wake of an exodus of his top aides last month and as he faces a fierce re-election battle.
The mayor has appointed Adolfo Carrión Jr. as deputy mayor for housing, economic development and workforce; Suzanne Miles-Gustave as deputy mayor for health and human services; Jeffrey Roth as deputy mayor for operations; and Kaz Daughtry as deputy mayor for public safety, according to City Hall. They have all worked in city or state government, and in a statement Adams called them “exemplary public servants” with “decades of experience serving our city and their fellow New Yorkers.”
Their appointments come almost three weeks after four of Adams’ deputies — Maria Torres-Springer, Anne Williams-Isom, Meera Joshi and Chauncey Parker — said they planned to step down. The wave of resignations on President’s Day weekend followed allegations by the former chief federal prosecutor in Manhattan that Adams had sought to cooperate with the Trump administration’s immigration policies in exchange for the U.S. Department of Justice dropping his criminal corruption case.
The mayor has steadfastly denied those allegations and the charges he was indicted on last fall, but his top aides’ resignations led to more calls from his own Democratic Party for his resignation or removal from office. They also prompted Gov. Kathy Hochul to consider using her powers to oust him from office — a move she ultimately decided against.
Adams’ new appointments also come as he faces a tough re-election campaign, with a growing field of Democrats aiming to defeat him in the June 24 primary election. In the past week, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and current City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams have launched mayoral bids, adding two high-profile competitors for the mayor’s key base of moderate voters. Democratic voters will be able rank up to five candidates on their ballots in order of preference.
Daughtry will start in his new position at the end of Friday, while Carrión, Miles-Gustave and Roth will do so at the end of next Friday, the mayor’s office said. Daughtry is now the NYPD’s deputy commissioner of operations; Carrión heads the city’s housing department; Miles-Gustave is former acting commissioner of the state Office of Children and Family Services; and Roth was previously deputy commissioner of the city Department of Veterans’ Services.
Adams has yet to name a replacement for Torres-Springer, his first deputy and a stalwart of municipal government, who has spearheaded his administration’s housing efforts as the city faces an affordable housing shortage. Before her appointment as first deputy after Sheena Wright's resignation last October, Torres-Springer served as deputy mayor for housing, economic development and workforce, the role Carrión is taking.
It was not immediately clear who will replace Daughtry and Carrión in the agency roles they are vacating.
In his statement Friday, Adams thanked his outgoing deputies, saying they “have been vital to our work reshaping New York City.”
“I wish all four all the best in their future endeavors,” he said.
This is a developing story and may be updated.
