Ingrid Lewis-Martin projects support from Japan, top officials resume business after Adams indictment

As federal scrutiny around New York City Mayor Eric Adams and other members of his inner circle intensified in the last few weeks, one of the mayor’s loyal advisers has not been at his side. Longtime friend and adviser Ingrid Lewis-Martin has been on vacation in Japan for at least a week, and her absence at recent weekly press conferences held by the mayor has raised some eyebrows.

But talking to City & State from Japan on Thursday, the day after news broke that Adams was indicted on federal criminal charges including bribery and soliciting illegal donations, Lewis-Martin denied rumors that she and the mayor had been at odds. “I will be back and I will stand with my brother,” she told City & State from Japan on Thursday. “And anyone who doubts that has clearly lost their mind.” Lewis-Martin said that she is returning on Friday.

Adams was asked about Lewis-Martin’s recent absence at a press conference this week, and denied that there had been a falling out. “Ingrid is on a long-needed vacation, a long-needed vacation,” Adams said on Tuesday. “And I am hoping she’s having fun.”

The mayor, along with other members of the administration, have been insistent that the work of the city, including with higher-ups in City Hall, will continue without distraction amid not only the indictment but recent high profile departures. Some of the calls for Adams to resign – increasingly coming from his side of the political spectrum – have argued that the charges are too much of a distraction for Adams to allow him to do his job as mayor. Adams has been defiant so far on the prospect of resigning, declaring that he’s looking forward to defending himself from the charges now against him.

At least a few top city officials appeared to be carrying on with business as usual on Thursday. “New Yorkers don’t stop working and New York City doesn’t either,” Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi wrote on X on Thursday morning, as she and Deputy Mayor for Housing, Economic Development and Workforce Maria Torres-Springer appeared at a press conference for a new effort aimed at helping rent-regulated and low-income buildings afford emissions reduction projects.

“As life-long public servants, we remain committed to serving New Yorkers to the best of our abilities,” Torres-Springer added in another X post.