Gov. Hochul has hired the same outside lawyer to defend against the congestion pricing pause as Mayor Adams retained to defend him in a federal campaign finance probe.Gov. Kathy Hochul has hired private counsel to defend her decision to pause congestion pricing in court — specifically, the same lawyer representing Mayor Eric Adams in an ongoing probe into potential campaign finance violations.that she had retained Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale & Dorr LLP, a local white shoe firm.
The toll to drive into Manhattan south of 60th Street was expected to reduce traffic in the central business district by 17%, and in doing so drive a reduction in traffic and emissions throughout the tri-state area.Danny Pearlstein, policy and communications director at the Riders Alliance, said he found it “telling” that Hochul had hired outside counsel to defend against his group’s lawsuit.
Johnson is representing Adams in a federal probe into alleged corrupt campaign finance practices by the mayor’s 2021 campaign; published reports have indicated the probe is looking into whether the Adams campaign colluded with the Turkish government to trade favors. The probe burst into public view last year when the fedsrequesting text messages and other communications as part of the deepening inquiry. The mayor has, however, not been accused of any wrongdoing.
Johnson specifically has previously represented the Executive Chamber in a probe into whether Hochul’s predecessor, Andrew Cuomo, had subjected employees to a pattern of sexual harassment. That resulted in awith the Department of Justice wherein Hochul agreed to make reforms to the workplace environment. As such, Kaehny said it “makes sense” that Hochul would again hire Johnson.lead prosecutor at the Southern District of New York in the prostitution case against former Gov.