New York City’s governance is experiencing tumultuous times, with looming issues emanating from the upper echelons of Mayor Eric Adams’ administration. Late in the evening of a recent Saturday, Mayor Adams’ chief legal advisor, Lisa Zornberg, presented her resignation. Appreciate of the opportunity to serve the city, she wrote in a resignation letter. Zornberg ended her tenure effectively immediately, asserting that her ability to serve efficaciously in her role had reached a culmination.
Zornberg’s sudden departure has set off alarm bells, as it comes at a time when Mayor Adams’ administration is entwined in an intricate web of four separate, ongoing federal corruption probes. These investigations, extensive in scope, are casting a dark shadow on some of the highest officials within the city’s governement. The scrutiny surrounding Adams’ closest allies reached a new high when last week, FBI agents descended upon and searched the properties of several top-ranking officials within the mayor’s team.
While it is yet to be confirmed if these FBI interventions trace back to a single probe, the officials affected include prominent figures such as First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright, Deputy Mayor Philip Banks, and Schools Chancellor David Banks. Alongside the search, several digital devices belonging to Timothy Pearson, an advisor of Mayor Adams, were seized. Subpoenas were also handed down to various additional administration members.
On top of that, federal agencies had claimed the electronic possessions of Police Commissioner Edward A. Caban of New York City a week prior, which was soon followed by his decision to step down from his position. Electronic devices associated to Caban’s chief of staff, a couple of precinct captains, and Caban’s identical sibling, James Caban, were also put under federal control. Known for his cordial relations with the Caban family, Mayor Adams, an ex-law enforcement official, witnessed Edward Caban swiftly ascend the ranks within the police department.
Currently, the authorities are examining allegations aimed at James Caban. It is suspected that he exploited his connections to the commissioner in order to advance his own interests in the nightlife industry. Apart from this, members of Adams’ administration are under examination due to allegations of bribery, potentially involving Terence Banks. Terence is a consultant and fundraiser for the mayor as well as the brother of Deputy Mayor Philip Banks and Schools Chancellor David Banks.
According to local reports, Zornberg’s decision to part ways with the administration came to pass after Mayor Adams dismissed her advice to terminate Pearson and others entangled in the ongoing investigation. While these other individuals’ identities remain undisclosed, their alleged involvement has not gone unnoticed. Interestingly, federal authorities have also shown interest in Adams himself.
In a surprising development just last year, the home of the mayor’s chief fundraiser was searched by federal agents. The same operation presumably resulted in the seizure of several electronic devices belonging to Mayor Adams. This was part of a separate investigation examining allegations of money laundering related to the mayor’s campaign, believed to have been facilitated by illicit donations received from the Turkish government in 2021.
Despite the mounting pressure, Adams has remained stoic, expressing indifference towards the negative perception that arises from the ongoing investigations centered around his top allies. He assures his commitment towards cooperating with the relevant authorities, refuting any deterrence from focusing on his responsibilities as the mayor. No official charges relating to these investigations have been filed against Adams, or any individuals from his inner circle, as of yet.
Certain events have caused a resurgence of interest in these evolving scandals. Specifically, the recent arrest of New York City’s two former fire chiefs, Brian Cordasco and Anthony Saccavino. Both individuals face charges of corruption and bribery, escalating the public’s curiosity in Adams’ entwined intricacies and raising doubts about his capacity to efficiently govern.
Adams, while residing amidst the chaos, set the record straight following their arrests. He clarified that their supposed wrongdoings were rooted in a prior administration and that it bore no relevance to his own mounting issues. Moreover, he denounced the supposed existence of a ‘Deputy Mayor for Operations (DMO)’ fast-tracking construction projects list, a document of significant interest in the ongoing investigations involving him.
For the majority of New Yorkers, who were already disgruntled with their current leadership, these latest developments add to their growing dissatisfaction. This also puts the administration’s much-touted focus on crime into question. A number of local lawmakers are indicating that they’ve had enough of this unsettling situation.
State Assemblywoman Emily Gallagher recently voiced her discontent and called for new leadership. ‘New York City deserves a new mayor’, she stated. She pointed out the various concerns around alleged corruption, budget cuts in education, libraries, and Park facilities, and lamented the overall lack of trustworthiness. She further criticized the mayor for lacking genuine charisma while causing harm to the city.
State Senator Julia Salazar expressed her support for Gallagher’s sentiment, arguing that the FBI investigations had inflicted substantial damage upon the city, eventually calling for new leadership to take the reins. In a statement released on a recent Monday, Queens City Councilmember Tiffany Cabán also chimed in.
Cabán criticized the mayor for leading with corruption and mismanagement, implicating at least 15 of his associates in ongoing investigations. She also expressed that his record of diminishing essential services and enabling police abuses painted a troubling picture of his governance. Cabán ultimately claimed that Eric Adams was unfit to govern, urging that ‘New Yorkers deserve better’, and called for his resignation.
Despite the growing dissent, Mayor Adams stands firm in his position. He reminded the public and the politicians calling for his resignation that it was the citizens who elected him into the office. ‘I was elected by the people of this city, and I’m going to fulfill my obligation to the people of this city,’ he asserted defiantly.
Adding to the administrative tumult, Adams is simultaneously gearing up for what appears to be a tough fight to secure a second term in the New York City mayoral election slated for 2025. At this early stage, some city officials have already announced their intention to contest for the mayoral seat. City Comptroller Brad Lander is one of them, having publicly declared his intent to challenge Adams for the city’s top post.