New York City officials ruled to have violated racial equity laws

A Manhattan Supreme Court judge ruled that former New York City Mayor Eric Adams and current Mayor Zohran Mamdani violated the law by failing to publish racial equity plans within the deadlines established by the city charter.

The ruling by Judge Phaedra Perry-Bond addressed the failure to implement mandates approved by voters in a 2022 referendum, which required the city to publish biennial racial equity reports. The court noted that the Adams administration’s inaction prevented the Commission on Racial Equity (CORE) from fulfilling its mission. While the judge found that Mamdani’s administration also breached deadlines, she noted that the current administration published a preliminary plan within its first 100 days, suggesting a lesser degree of non-compliance compared to her predecessor.