New York Note: Nadler to Retire, de Blasio Backs Mamdani, Legionnaires’ Source Identified, Adams Fundraising Probe Deepens
September 2, 2025
September 2, 2025
After serving 17 terms in Congress, Representative Jerry Nadler (D-NY) announced that he will not run for reelection in 2026. Nadler cited the need for “generational change” within the Democratic Party and expressed confidence that a younger lawmaker could better serve his district. Nadler chaired the House Judiciary Committee from 2019 to 2023 and served as ranking member before stepping down in January. He also suggested that some of his Democratic colleagues should consider retirement as the party faces growing political challenges.
Former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio endorsed Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani in the New York mayoral race. De Blasio praised Mamdani’s focus on “kitchen table issues” and highlighted his progressive platforms, including expanding free child care, free buses, and city-run grocery stores. He also recognized Mamdani’s ability to collaborate with the business community despite policy disagreements. De Blasio expressed support for Mamdani’s public safety plan to shift mental health and homelessness responses away from police, saying he believes Mamdani “will be able to do things that previous mayors didn’t to create more order in this city.”
City health officials announced that cooling towers at NYC Health + Hospitals/Harlem and the construction site of the new Public Health Laboratory were the sources of a Legionnaires’ disease outbreak that has resulted in seven deaths and 114 reported cases since late July. The Department of Health confirmed the cluster has ended, with no new cases reported since August 9. In response, Mayor Eric Adams’ administration plans to increase fines for violations and require more frequent cooling tower testing, increasing testing to every 30 days from every 90 days. The city will also add inspectors, strengthen regulations, and establish a community engagement team to improve emergency response and public education during future outbreaks.
The New York City Campaign Finance Board (CFB) has escalated its investigation into Mayor Eric Adams’ fundraising practices for his 2021 and 2025 mayoral campaigns. Federal court filings revealed that the CFB has issued subpoenas to 17 individuals, retained an outside investigative firm, and petitioned the Department of Justice for access to materials from a dismissed federal bribery case involving Adams. The probe, which has led the board to repeatedly deny Adams public matching funds, centers on allegations that his campaign failed to fully comply with information requests. While Adams’ campaign maintains it has “followed the law at every step,” the CFB accuses the campaign and its compliance attorney of misleading investigators.
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