Mayor Eric Adams Faces Wave of Resignations Amidst Federal Investigation

Despite a series of high-profile resignations among his senior staff, Mayor Eric Adams asserted during his weekly media briefing that it is “business as usual” for his administration. Mayor Adams addressed the recent departures on Tuesday, including high-ranking officials such as the Deputy Mayor for Public Safety, Phil Banks, and the Schools Chancellor, David Banks, emphasizing that the resignations are not indicative of turmoil or mismanagement.

In a move closely following his wife, Sheena Wright, the First Deputy Mayor, David Banks announced his resignation just days earlier. Subsequently, Maria Torres-Springer, already serving as a deputy mayor for housing, economic development, and workforce, has been appointed as Wright’s replacement. Mayor Adams highlighted Torres-Springer’s previous service to New Yorkers across various governmental roles during the press conference.

The mayor shrugged off concerns over the departures by referencing the vast workforce of municipal employees, downplaying the impact of the seven recent high-level staff exits. Among those who resigned are Deputy Mayor Phil Banks, his brother David Banks, Bahi, and community liaison Winnie Greco. Additionally, community liaison Rana Abbasova and senior advisor for South Asian and Muslim affairs, Ahsan Chughtai, were reportedly fired.

The sudden exits come on the heels of federal charges against an unnamed staffer involving witness tampering and obstruction of justice. Mayor Adams declined to comment on the arrest specifics, preferring to focus on city governance matters and asserting, “I will never instruct anyone to do anything illegal or improper.” He further stated that legal questions would be addressed by his lawyers.

Maria Torres-Springer expressed her commitment to the city during the appointment announcement, voicing her dedication to the “stories and the dreams of more than 8 million New Yorkers.” The specifics of the staff realignment following the departures are yet to be decided, with Chief of Staff Camille Joseph Varlack, and the newly appointed first deputy mayor set to conduct an analysis.

When queried about the necessity of repeatedly instructing his staff to follow ethical standards, Mayor Adams refrained from providing further commentary, maintaining his focus on city administration priorities.