“The founder of Pirate’s Booty Snacks lost his chaotic bid for mayor of a tiny New York community after he claimed he was the village leader and had the authority to replace the entire local government,” NBC News reports.

“Elena Villafane, the incumbent mayor of Sea Cliff, defeated Robert Ehrlich, 1,064-62, on Tuesday in the village, which is about 26 miles northeast of midtown Manhattan.”

“Villafane had been running unopposed for her third two-year term when Ehrlich jumped into the fray a week ago Monday.”

“That’s when Ehrlich went to Village Hall and ‘presented a statement falsely asserting his authority as mayor, demanding access to office space, and declaring that the entire Village staff was fired effective immediately but could reapply for their jobs,’ the village said in a statement.”

Gina LaPlaca (D), the mayor of Lumberton, New Jersey, was arrested at her home on St. Patrick’s Day after, police allege, she drove with her son in her car while under the influence of alcohol, NBC Philadelphia reports.

New York Times: “The mural, spelling ‘BLACK LIVES MATTER’ in bright yellow letters, covered two blocks of 16th Street NW. It was painted in June 2020, turning the pavement into a pedestrian zone called Black Lives Matter Plaza.”

“But its fate has been in question since President Trump returned to the White House in January, and last week the mayor, Muriel Bowser, said that the mural would be removed. Her announcement came shortly after Representative Andrew Clyde, a Republican from Georgia, introduced legislation threatening to withhold millions in federal funds from the city unless the mural was removed and the plaza renamed.”

“A federal spending bill introduced Saturday by House Republicans could have a drastic impact on D.C.’s budget, potentially leading to about $1 billion in overnight cuts impacting everything from the city’s law enforcement to schools,” the Washington Post reports.

A new Quinnipiac poll in New York City finds a record low 20% of voters approve of the way Eric Adams (D) is handling his job as mayor of New York City, while 67% disapprove and 13% did not offer an opinion.

Voters by 56% to 35% think that Adams should resign as mayor.

The day before Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass left for Ghana, her aides received an email warning of a “high confidence in damaging winds and elevated fire conditions occurring next week,” the Los Angeles Times reports.

The mayor nevertheless went on the trip, attending the Ghanaian president’s inauguration, as well as a U.S. Embassy cocktail party, on Jan. 7, the day the Palisades fire broke out.

A new M3 Strategies poll of Chicago voters finds fewer than 7% have a favorable opinion of Mayor Brandon Johnson, while 80% have an unfavorable opinion of the mayor.

“New York City Mayor Eric Adams filed a lawsuit Friday against President Donald Trump and others in his administration over $80 million the White House removed from a city bank account without permission, after Elon Musk threatened the withdrawal on X,” Politico reports.

“New York Gov. Kathy Hochul will — for the time being — not remove embattled New York City Mayor Eric Adams from office, but will instead impose limits on his power,” NBC News reports.

“President Donald Trump on Wednesday threw his support behind calls for a federal government takeover of Washington, D.C., saying the local government was ‘not doing the job’ on crime and homelessness,” Reuters reports.

“Republicans have in recent years sought to overturn home rule for the District of Columbia, a Democratic stronghold that has had a degree if self-governance since 1973 but is still largely beholden to the U.S. Congress.”

“Mayor Eric Adams defiantly insisted Wednesday that New York City is running smoothly — even with four of his deputies ready to resign, several prosecutors stepping down over orders to drop his case and his fate in the hands of a federal judge,” Politico reports.

“His public display of resistance came even as his career could be cut short by his fellow elected Democrats.”

PBS Newshour: Judge overseeing Eric Adams corruption case asks DOJ why it’s dropping charges.

“As Gov. Kathy Hochul weighs removing Mayor Eric Adams from office, Mr. Adams not only appears to be running out of allies, options and, perhaps, time,” the New York Times reports.

“Dozens of interviews around New York City this week suggest that he is also rapidly losing support among New Yorkers, including many who voted for him.”

New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D) “bizarrely invoked Mein Kampf at a Brooklyn church rally Monday afternoon as he defiantly blasted rivals calling for him to step down—as chaos swirled around the administration,” the New York Post reports.

“New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams (D) called on Mayor Eric Adams (D) to resign from his office, becoming the latest local official to raise concerns about his ability to govern after the Justice Department moved to drop corruption charges against him,” The Hill reports.

Washington Post: Hearing called for Eric Adams dismissal motion that roiled Justice Dept.

A private attorney asked a New York judge not to dismiss the corruption case against New York city Mayor Eric Adams.

From the filing: “No party before the Court is representing the public interest. We respectfully ask the Court to appoint a special counsel to advise the Court in resolving this unfortunate matter.”

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D), who has the authority to remove New York City Eric Adams (D) from office, said she had called a meeting for Tuesday to discuss “the path forward,” the New York Times reports.

Said Hochul: “In the 235 years of New York State history, these powers have never been utilized to remove a duly-elected mayor; overturning the will of the voters is a serious step that should not be taken lightly.”

She added: “That said, the alleged conduct at City Hall that has been reported over the past two weeks is troubling and cannot be ignored.”

Politico: Hochul weighing whether to remove Eric Adams as mayor.