“Brad Lander, the loudest person in the city, has yet to go to Washington to deal with the number one issue that this city’s facing. Think about that for a moment…Stop trying to be the shadow mayor and be the Comptroller and go to Washington D.C., Brad. And get us our fair share.” -Mayor Eric Adams
New York City Mayor Eric Adams has publicly chastised Comptroller Brad Lander for not voicing his support for increased federal funding for the city’s migrant crisis. Despite his reputation as one of the city’s most vocal figures, Lander has yet to lobby for migrant issues in Washington, D.C., according to Mayor Adams.
“Brad Lander, the loudest person in the city, has yet to go to Washington to deal with the number one issue that this city’s facing. Think about that for a moment,” said a frustrated Mayor Adams.
He further urged, “Stop trying to be the shadow mayor and be the Comptroller and go to Washington D.C., Brad. And get us our fair share.”
Despite the delegation led by New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams that visited the U.S. capital on Tuesday, June 6th to lobby for greater migrant-related federal aid, Lander did not join. Adams expressed his discontent with the city’s politicians’ lack of engagement on the issue, as New York faces a projected cost of $4.3 billion associated with its migrant population.
In his role as Comptroller, Lander has been seen as more progressive than Mayor Adams, demonstrating robust connections with the city’s left-leaning figures and institutions. These institutions are notably critical of the current mayoral administration. The Comptroller’s office holds an independent status and, to an extent, functions as a financial watchdog for the administration it serves. Lander has traditionally utilized this role to monitor and critique the Adams administration, including a recent demand for federal intervention in the struggling Department of Correction.
Lander defended his position, arguing that he had been focusing on what he saw as Mayor Adams’ inadequate prioritization of migrants’ legal services. He has been advocating for a $70 million fund to be added to the city budget, due to be finalized by the end of June.
“In fact, it was my conversations with federal officials as I have been pushing for more resources over many months that highlighted the urgency of that work,” Lander stated.
Lander has also scrutinized how the city has managed asylum-seeking migrants over the past year, contending that excessive expenditure on emergency responses could have been better used in longer-term planning strategies.
A Lander representative pointed out that Adams’ intimidation of Lander suggests an overly defensive reaction to criticism rather than the leadership necessary to handle a crisis effectively.
Recently, the city received an additional $104.5 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, increasing the city’s total federal assistance to just over $140 million. However, the city continues to struggle to find more housing for the over 45,000 migrants under its care, leading to a review of potential locations both in the city and upstate.
Lander faced backlash last month when New York City employees, including teachers, police officers, and firefighters, lost approximately $30 million in pension funds due to the Silicon Valley Bank’s collapse. The Comptroller’s Bureau of Asset Management, overseen by Lander, is responsible for managing these investment portfolios.
The latest friction comes as many city progressives are searching for a challenger for Adams’ potential re-election campaign in 2025, a role Lander currently has not shown significant interest in undertaking. A hypothetical primary presented by a recent Slingshot Strategies poll shows Adams outpacing Lander 48-17, with the remaining 35% undecided.
