The controversy surrounding New York City Mayor Eric Adams grew even more intense on Monday when four of his top aides announced their resignations. This comes just days after the Justice Department under President Donald Trump decided to drop corruption charges against Adams.
Some critics believe the DOJ dropped the charges after Adams agreed to cooperate with Trump’s immigration policies.
The DOJ is facing its own issues, with some career prosecutors stepping down rather than dropping the corruption case against Adams. This move has led to increased pressure for the mayor to resign from several Democratic leaders in New York.
The four senior officials leaving are First Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer, Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Anne Williams-Isom, Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi, and Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Chauncey Parker.
In a joint statement, three of the officials said they made the decision to resign due to the “extraordinary events” happening in Adams’ administration. They explained, “To stay faithful to the oaths we swore to New Yorkers … we have come to the difficult decision to step down from our roles.”
Parker, in a separate statement, said it was an honor to work for Adams and expressed confidence that the administration would continue working for the people of the city.
This marks another shakeup in Adams’ team, following the December resignation of Ingrid Lewis-Martin, one of his key aides, just before she was indicted on bribery and conspiracy charges.
Despite the pressure, Adams has rejected calls for him to step down. He said over the weekend, “The most sanctified among us are calling for me to step down. I’m not going to step down, I’m going to step up.”
In a statement on Monday, Adams expressed disappointment over the resignations but emphasized that New York City would continue moving forward as usual.
The DOJ’s decision to drop charges against Adams has also caused turmoil within the department. At least seven prosecutors in New York and Washington, D.C. have resigned. This includes Danielle Sassoon, acting U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, who said she was confused by the decision to drop the case, especially after plans to add new charges against Adams.
Five other lawyers in the public integrity unit in Washington also resigned rather than follow the order to drop the case against Adams.
Adams, who became mayor in January 2020, was indicted in September 2024 on five federal charges, including bribery, fraud, and accepting illegal campaign donations. He was accused of taking illegal donations and luxury travel from Turkish citizens and companies. FBI agents also seized his phone from Gracie Mansion, his official residence. Adams has denied any wrongdoing.
This case is part of several federal investigations into Adams and his administration. Last year, key members of his team, including his police commissioner and schools chancellor, resigned.
