Mayor Adams's loss in a City Council committee-chair battle may be the city's gain.
The Mayor reportedly tried to convince Council Speaker Adrienne Adams to choose Manhattan Council Member Julie Menin as chair of the Committee on Oversight and Investigations over the woman who had emerged as the consensus choice for the job, Gale Brewer—the former Manhattan Borough President who because she was term-limited last year ran for and regained her old Council seat.
Launching Pad for Torres
The post, on one of the newer Council committees, gave its former chair, Ritchie Torres, a chance to spotlight his intelligence and tenacity, notably in exposing problems at the Housing Authority that the de Blasio administration either wasn't aware of or tried to cover up.
During a 2018 committee hearing concerning the Department of Investigation, the Bronx Councilman contended that then-Mayor Bill de Blasio was a small-bore version of President Trump in his efforts to discredit those investigating his administration, whether in government or the media.
While not as toxic as Mr. Trump in his demonizations, Mr. Torres said, "we have seen a less-sensational but nevertheless insidious assault on the independence of New York City's oldest law-enforcement agency, the Department of Investigation, as well as an assault on local investigative journalism."
His work as committee chair played a big role in his election as a Congressman representing The Bronx in November 2020.
Got Bigoted Inspector Out
A month later, before he made the move to Washington, D.C., he prodded the Police Department over why it hadn't fired the then-Commander of its Equal Employment Opportunity Office, Deputy Inspector James Kobel, once the committee concluded he was as the anonymous poster—under the name "Clouseau"—on a popular law-enforcement bulletin board, The Rant, who was responsible for more than 500 racist, anti-Semitic and misogynist postings.
Mr. Kobel, who claimed someone had hacked into his account, was dismissed by the NYPD less than two months later, last Feb. 3, after a departmental investigation confirmed the findings of the Oversight and Investigations Committee.
Ms. Brewer, who's as conscientious and knowledgeable about the city and its government as anyone in the Council, ultimately prevailed. Besides being the right choice for the job on the merits, it probably didn't hurt her that Mr. Adams before he took office tried to influence Council Members to back Francisco Moya for Speaker rather than Ms. Adams.
She wound up prevailing in that skirmish, and she told a Daily News reporter following the announcement of Ms. Brewer to head Oversight and Investigations, that there was nothing inappropriate about the Mayor trying to involve himself in the process, "but the bottom line is that it is still our decision who is appointed to those committees."
Menin Gets 'Small Business'
Ms. Menin, the former chair of Manhattan Community Board 1 who served Mr. de Blasio as Consumer Affairs Commissioner and led the city's efforts to get an accurate and full count for the 2020 U.S. Census, was named to chair the Small Business Committee.
Ms. Brewer, in a statement following her selection, thanked Ms. Adams and other Council Members for choosing her, saying, "I look forward to working with my colleagues to ensure that the concerns of New Yorkers are addressed in a thoughtful and effective manner. This committee has a crucial role in ensuring that laws are implemented effectively, that agencies are managed well and with integrity, and that government truly works for all."
Among the other chairs of key Council committees are Justin Brannan as Finance Chair; Kamillah Hanks, who is succeeding Ms. Adams as head of the Public Safety Committee; and Carlina Rivera, who will head the Criminal Justice Committee.
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