City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams delivered her opening statement on Tuesday in the confirmation hearing of Randy Mastro to corporation counsel. 

“They must faithfully represent all of us, the entire city, the council, agencies and other elected officials,” Council Speaker Adams said.

Mayor Eric Adams nominated Mastro to the position in July. 

What You Need To Know

  • The City Council grilled Randy Mastro, Mayor Eric Adams’ nominee for corporation counsel, for nine hours on Tuesday as part of his confirmation hearing  

  • The confirmation hearing comes as the mayor and City Council have been at odds over legislation on solitary confinement and housing vouchers known as cityFHEPS

  • The City Council is expected to take a vote on Mastro’s nomination in early to mid-September 

However, Mastro’s past as an ex-Giuliani aide and his controversial legal work led many Council members to push back on the nomination. That past came bubbling back to the surface on Tuesday. 

“Why would we trust you to be a champion of civil rights and pro-gay rights in your role as corporation counsel when you have used your power to not uplift but allow the Giuliani administration to abuse some of the most vulnerable populations in New York City?” Councilwoman Diana Ayala said.

“Mr. Mastro, can you share exactly how you and Rudy Giulinani were working to address the disparity in women’s contracts received by women and minority-owned businesses in the years of 1994 to 1997 when it seems when the mayor’s administration didn’t think it was even important enough?” Councilwoman Selvena Brooks-Powers said.

“How can someone who is proud to this day of the Giuliani administration’s record and who played a pivotal role in its policing practices truly understand the toll of police violence or engender confidence about police accountability?” Councilmember Crystal Hudson added.

Mastro attempted to explain his past legal positions to local lawmakers to little avail. But he kept hopeful about his nomination throughout the hours-long hearing. 

“I still want the job and I hope this council will see the value, the passion, the commitment I hope to bring to this,” he said.

Some of Mastro’s supporters came to the hearing with words of praise, including former Gov. David Paterson and Shams DaBaron, a key housing advocate. 

“I think that the Council members are sort of mixing that in with things that he did with Giuliani that are not really relevant to this particular proceeding,” Paterson said.

“In getting commitments in things like equity. In getting commitments in things like how do we address housing and homelessness, that gave me enough room to say, well, I can be supportive of the mayor’s decision,” DaBaron said.

Separately, Mastro weighed in on some current issues between the council and mayor. 

He said in the issue of Adams using an executive order to block a law banning solitary confinement, he would advise the administration to go to court instead. 

Mastro said that he would work tirelessly for the priorities and interests of Council members, as well as the city. 

“I’m known as a lawyer who is tenacious and successful in the courtroom. I’m known as a bear in the courtroom, but I’m actually a teddy bear in real life,” he said.  

The City Council will vote on Mastro’s nomination in early to mid-September.