The City Council plans to override Mayor Eric Adams’ veto of a bill that could allow hundreds of survivors of sexual abuse to pursue legal action against the city. This legislation aims to establish an 18-month “lookback” window during which victims can file claims, even if the statute of limitations has expired. The Council passed the measure unanimously last month, and it seeks to revive previously dismissed cases regarding abuse claims linked to the city’s juvenile detention facilities.
Supporters of the bill argue that it is essential for ensuring that survivors are not barred from seeking justice due to technical legalities. The proposed legislation would also enable plaintiffs to challenge previous court decisions that dismissed cases under the city’s former Gender-Motivated Violence Act. Adams, in his veto message delivered on Christmas Eve, claimed the bill could expose the city to significant financial liabilities, estimating potential costs could reach up to $1 billion. He contended that the legislation was advanced at the behest of a single law firm with vested financial interests in the lawsuits.
In his statement, Adams expressed frustration that the City Council had not engaged in alternative discussions during the legislative process. “My administration attempted to work with the City Council to secure compensation for survivors in a fiscally responsible manner, but the City Council did not engage on any alternative proposals,” he wrote. With his departure from office imminent, Adams’ veto has sparked a strong response from Council members.
Incoming Council Speaker Julie Menin countered Adams’ concerns, stating that the administration had failed to raise financial objections during public hearings or negotiations. “The mayor’s veto message suddenly mentions a price tag to the city that was simply never raised in their testimony at the hearing,” Menin articulated. She emphasized that the testimony of survivors, including those with harrowing accounts of abuse linked to Jeffrey Epstein, underscored the importance of the bill.
The City Council’s support for the legislation is robust, with 41 out of 51 members listed as sponsors. The bill was introduced after a Bronx judge dismissed over 450 lawsuits from individuals claiming they were sexually abused while detained in city-run facilities. As discussions about the new bill unfolded, the city’s law department had previously agreed to postpone actions on other cases concerning the city’s liability for abuse.
The law firm Levy Konigsberg LLP, representing many plaintiffs in lawsuits against the city, was specifically mentioned in Adams’ veto communication. The mayor suggested that the legislation would essentially act as a “debit card” for the firm to withdraw $300 million. In response, Jerome Block, a partner at Levy Konigsberg, rejected this characterization. He described Adams’ comments as an attempt to divert attention from what he labeled as a “callous veto” that would hinder survivors’ legal rights.
Jordan Merson, an attorney who represents abuse survivors, expressed shock at the veto, noting that the administration had ample opportunity to express concerns. “At the end of the day, [this bill] would have allowed sexual abuse victims of Jeffrey Epstein — including children — to come forward and get justice,” Merson said.
To override the mayor’s veto, the City Council requires a two-thirds majority vote. Supporters are confident they can meet this threshold given the bill’s earlier unanimous passage. The transition team for Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani did not respond to a request for comments regarding the ongoing developments.
