Mayor Eric Adams vetoes ‘Gender Motivated Violence Act’ on Christmas Eve
Outgoing Mayor Eric Adams used the last of his Christmas holidays to sign a veto of the “Gender Motivated Violence Act” (Intro 1297), a bill the New York City Council had adopted unanimously last month. The legislation would have created a new “look‑back” window, allowing victims of sexual, gender‑motivated violence to file lawsuits even after the normal statute of limitations had expired. The measure would have opened claims against a range of institutions, including the estate of Jeffrey Epstein.
In a letter released on Thursday, Adams argued the act would force the city to serve as a conduit for a large share of settlements, ultimately benefiting the plaintiffs’ law firm, Levy Konigsberg. “The mayor’s veto message suddenly mentions a price tag to the City that was simply never raised in their testimony at the hearing,” former Speaker‑Candidate Julie Menin said. “However, we clearly heard directly from survivors of sexual and gender‑motivated violence, including horrific accounts from survivors of Jeffrey Epstein. Their voices made clear that passing this bill is critical to ensuring survivors can pursue justice for the despicable acts committed against them.” Menin also promised that the incoming council would override Adams’ veto in 2024.
Under city charter, the council has 30 days after its first meeting in January to vote a two‑thirds majority to overturn a mayoral veto. If more than 38 of the 51 council members vote to cancel the veto, the bill would become law.
Queens Councilwoman Selvena Brooks‑Powers—who authored the now‑vetoed bill—called the decision “an impossible contradiction of the city’s stated commitment to victims.” “Justice isn’t a talking point to survivors, it’s the difference between silence and accountability,” she added.
The measure would have permitted dozens of new lawsuits, ranging from abuse that occurred at the former Bronx Juvenile Detention Center (now called Spoffield), to claims involving Dr. Ricardo Cruciani, who has alleged a cover‑up by the Mt. Sinai Hospital system.
The mayor’s Office of Management and Budget had warned that the legislation could inflict a billion‑dollar hit on the municipal budget, with a third of any monetary awards earmarked for law‑firm fees. “Domestic violence is a serious crime and perpetrators of this act of violence must be held accountable and brought to justice, but this bill would allow a single law firm that lobbied Speaker [Adrienne] Adams and the City Council to pocket up to $300 million of taxpayer funds while reviving claims that have already been dismissed,” Adams wrote.
A statement from Levy Konigsberg lawyer Jerome Block called the veto “callous” and an attempt to “deprive survivors of their legal rights.” “Mayor Adams’ veto will not stand. The survivors who fought for Intro 1297 will ultimately prevail. We are confident that this shocking Christmas Eve veto will be overridden by the City Council,” Block said.
The act, which was initially stalled by a judge and later re‑introduced, was the last major legislative hurdle for abuse survivors, including those who came forward after the Jeffrey Epstein case. A spokesperson for the former Speaker explained that the timing of the veto was “not heroic but disheartening.” A lawyer representing roughly 40 Epstein victims echoed this sentiment, saying, “As one of his last acts in office, Mayor Adams vetoed legislation to help sexual abuse victims of Jeffrey Epstein. Think about that.”
The city will assess the fiscal impact of the bill after any potential override proceeds.
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