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New York Gov. Kathy Hochul cuts ties with advisor after troubling behavior reported
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Published May 1, 2023
Modified May 1, 2023
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By
Brittany Kriegstein
Published May 1, 2023
Modified May 1, 2023
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A powerful yet largely unknown aide to Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York abruptly resigned on Sunday after The New York Times published a story that questioned his influence and detailed his contributions to a toxic workplace.
In a widely-viewed email sent to colleagues, Adam Sullivan called the Times piece “painful,” and said that it had caused him to reflect on his behavior.
“I can see the toll that the campaign took on me,” he wrote. “After some serious thinking, I think it best if I take some time away from politics and the campaign environment and get healthy.”
Despite having a significant influence over Hochul’s administration, Sullivan lives 1,700 miles away from New York in Leadville, Colorado, and operated in the shadows.
According to the Times’ reporting, many lawmakers, union strategists and campaign leaders active in New York had trouble pinpointing exactly who Sullivan is. He is not an employee of New York State, and his exact compensation was not immediately clear. The Times found that Hochul’s campaign had paid $50,000 to a limited liability company Sullivan controls since 2021, but that he’d also secretly earned $500,000 or more from a portion of the campaign’s budget for TV ads.
Before he became involved with Hochul in 2015, Sullivan helped Senator Kirsten Gillibrand win re-election to the House in 2008, managed a Senate race in New Mexico in 2012 and was campaign manager for Senator Mary Landrieu’s re-election bid in Louisiana in 2014, which failed.
When former Gov. Cuomo stepped down in 2021 following sexual harassment claims, Hochul leaned on Sullivan to help her build an administration, the Times reported. Since then, Sullivan had steered her media strategies, convincing her re-election campaign team to focus more heavily on abortion than on crime.
In interviews with over 15 people who work on Hochul’s political team, the Times heard that Sullivan was known for “disparaging subordinates, especially younger women; marginalizing those who disagreed with him; telling younger workers that the governor did not know their names; and frequently shifting blame when things have gone wrong.”
Hochul issued her own brief statement acknowledging the split, according to the Times.
“I was disappointed by what was described in The New York Times story about Adam, and he and I agreed that he should step back,” she said.
In a Q&A with reporters on Feb, 23rd, Hochul was asked how much she leaned on Sullivan’s political advice. The governor called Sullivan a “great friend,” “a tremendous individual” and “one of my top advisors.” She said they spoke regularly, but did not specify how often.
Representatives for Sullivan could not be immediately reached for comment.
This story has been updated to include recent comments Gov. Hochul made about Sullivan.
Tagged
new york state
Politics
Brittany Kriegstein
Brittany Kriegstein covers all breaking news around New York City, with a focus on crime and gun violence. Got a tip? Email Brittany at [email protected].
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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