Who has left the Adams administration?

Who hasn’t left the Adams administration?

Following the stunning move by the U.S. Department of Justice to drop criminal corruption charges against Mayor Eric Adams, four of his top deputies at City Hall have tendered their resignations. Three of them – women who are respected and longtime civil servants, including First Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer and Deputy Mayors Anne Williams-Isom and Meera Joshi – stated they were stepping down “to stay faithful to the oaths we swore to New Yorkers and our families.” Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Chauncey Parker also resigned after just a few months on the job. 

The most recent resignations include the very deputies who were leaned on or elevated to right the ship when Adams’ legal problems snowballed last fall. The promotion of Torres-Springer to first deputy mayor restored some public trust in the administration’s ability to keep the city running.

“I am disappointed to see them go, but given the current challenges, I understand their decision and wish them nothing but success in the future,” Adams said in a statement confirming that all four are resigning.

The “extraordinary events” cited in Torres-Springer, Williams-Isom and Joshi’s resignation statement would seem to include a cascade of exceptional actions surrounding Adams’ criminal case in recent weeks. Last week, acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove issued a directive to Manhattan prosecutors to request to temporarily dismiss the charges against Adams – to which he has pleaded not guilty. Bove’s reasoning was in part that the case restricted Adams’ ability to work with the Trump administration on addressing illegal immigration and violent crime. Danielle Sassoon, the acting head of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, resigned rather than agree to request the case be dismissed. She alleged that she witnessed what amounted to a quid pro quo proposal from Adams’ defense team to work on shared enforcement priorities if the case were dismissed – something Adams and his lawyer have denied. But as Adams met with Trump’s border czar Tom Homan that same week, announced that he would be reestablishing ICE operations at Rikers and went on a what appeared to some as a hostage-like press tour with Homan about their collaboration, the appearance of such an arrangement struck even some of Adams’ mildest critics as a sign of a compromised leader.

Several others at Southern District and the DOJ resigned before Bove himself and two other DOJ attorneys successfully submitted a motion to the court requesting dismissal of the charges on Friday night.

While the Adams administration has experienced upheaval before – including when his indictment dropped last fall and news of investigations into several of his aides and commissioners broke – the most recent exodus puts Adams into a particularly precarious position, even if the criminal case against him is dismissed. Calls for Gov. Kathy Hochul to remove Adams have now grown, as have calls for his resignation, though Adams has been adamant that he is not resigning. 

These are some of the major departures from Adams’ administration. This post was updated on Feb. 17.

Maria Torres-Springer

Adams’ elevation of First Deputy Maria Torres-Springer in the fall calmed some fears about how Adams’ City Hall would continue post-indictment. Her resignation in mid-February, along with several other top deputy mayors, has signaled a lack of trust in Adams’ ability to carry on to even some more restrained political players, who the same day called for the mayor’s resignation. 

On Feb. 17, Torres-Springer, Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Anne Williams-Isom and Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi said in a joint memo that they were resigning. “Due to the extraordinary events of the last few weeks and to stay faithful to the oaths we swore to New Yorkers and our families, we have come to the difficult decision to step down from our roles,” they said in the note. It is unclear when their departures will take effect or who will replace them.

Torres-Springer is a well-respected bureaucrat who took over for ex-First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright upon her resignation last fall. Wright resigned shortly after the home she shared with her husband, ex-Schools Chancellor David Banks, was raided by the feds. One of the administration’s noted achievements – the City of Yes rezonings – came under Torres-Springer’s leadership last year. Torres-Springer joined the Adams administration at the start of his term in January 2022 as deputy mayor for economic and workforce development.

Anne Williams-Isom

A longtime civil servant and former nonprofit executive, Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Anne Williams-Isom announced her intent to resign alongside Torres-Springer and Joshi on Feb. 17.

Williams-Isom’s health and social services portfolio put her at the center of the city’s work on mental health and the response to the influx of migrants to the city. While that work was split among several of the mayor’s top deputies, Williams-Isom was directly involved in standing up hundreds of emergency shelters and the hub for asylum-seekers at the Roosevelt Hotel.

It’s unclear who will replace Williams-Isom or when her resignation will take effect. She first joined the Adams administration at the start of his term in January 2022.

Meera Joshi

An alum of former Mayor Bill de Blasio’s administration and the former commissioner of the city’s Taxi and Limousine Commission, Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi announced her intent to resign alongside Torres-Springer and Williams-Isom on Feb. 17.

Joshi, whose portfolio included the city’s transportation, climate and sanitation-related work, also served as one of the mayor’s appointees to the board of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. She has praised the implementation of congestion pricing even as Adams has criticized it for not exempting certain groups.

It’s not clear when Joshi’s resignation takes effect or who will replace her. She joined the Adams administration in January 2022.

Chauncey Parker

Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Chauncey Parker resigned on Feb. 17 after just four months in the role. In October, he took over for Phil Banks, who attracted criticism for overreach in the role and resigned as deputy mayor following a raid of his home by law enforcement in a separate probe. Parker previously served under Banks as assistant deputy mayor for public safety.

“I am confident that the administration will continue on our mission to deliver for the people of this city,” he said in a statement to Politico. It’s not clear from his statement or Adams’ when his resignation will take effect or who will replace him. 

Jeffrey Maddrey

The highest-ranking uniformed officer at the NYPD submitted his resignation in late December 2024, effective a month later, immediately following allegations of sexual misconduct. Shortly after the new year, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch suspended him without pay in the interim, in light of emerging investigations into the allegations.

The New York Post first reported in late 2024 that Maddrey had demanded sexual favors from a subordinate in exchange for overtime assignments – behavior that allegedly went back more than a year. Federal authorities raided Maddrey’s home in early January 2025.

Maddrey had previously come under fire for alleged behavior prior to Adams’ mayoralty, and Adams defended him. That includes Maddrey’s intervention in a case that resulted in the release of a retired cop who was arrested for menacing three youths with a gun in 2021. A reported fault line between Adams’ City Hall and former Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell was the latter’s agreement with recommended discipline for Maddrey over that incident, while Adams defended his actions. 

Ingrid Lewis-Martin

For many years Adams’ closest adviser and trusted confidant, Ingrid Lewis-Martin resigned in December. The chief adviser to Adams since the beginning of his term – and a longtime friend, going back to his time as a police captain and his 2005 state Senate campaign – stepped down effective immediately, Politico New York first reported. 

On Dec. 19, days after she resigned, Lewis-Martin was indicted on state bribery charges by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. The indictment alleges that Lewis-Martin took part in a long-running scheme to use her position at City Hall to influence decisions on behalf of two real estate developers, in exchange for cash and other benefits for her and her son. Lewis-Martin – along with the real estate developers and her son, who are all named as defendants – pleaded not guilty to the charges. 

Lewis-Martin was a power broker with the ear of the mayor at City Hall, one who invariably ruffled the feathers of other top officials, but was seen as a loyal member of Adams’ inner circle. Her departure came nearly three months after she was met by law enforcement officials at Kennedy International Airport while returning home from a trip to Japan with former state Sen. Jesse Hamilton, a deputy commissioner at Department of Citywide Administrative Services. On Sept. 27, Lewis-Martin and Hamilton were stopped at the airport by officials from the Southern District of New York and the Manhattan district attorney’s office, who seized her phone and served her a subpoena. Bragg said on Dec. 19 that their investigation is ongoing. 

Mohamed Bahi

City Hall’s former chief liaison to the Muslim community, Mohamed Bahi, resigned on Oct. 7, one day before being arrested and charged with witness tampering and destruction of evidence in relation to the Southern District of New York’s investigation into Adams’ 2021 campaign. In February 2025, it was reported that Bahi agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy for collecting illegal straw donor contributions. 

Director of Asian Affairs Winnie Greco

Politico reported on Oct. 7 that Greco, another longtime ally and adviser to the mayor, had stepped down. Greco started working with Adams while he was Brooklyn borough president. Greco wasn’t on the payroll at the time but served as a liaison to the Chinese American community and became a prolific fundraiser for his campaigns. Greco was hired when Adams became mayor as a senior adviser and director of Asian Affairs, and in the past couple years has attracted scrutiny from both federal authorities and the city’s Department of Investigation. In the former case, authorities raided two homes owned by Greco as well as the New World Mall in Queens, which has been tied to evidence of straw donations reported on by The City. Adams was loyal to Greco despite that scrutiny – she went on sick leave after the federal raids, but returned and received a raise, The City reported.

Politico also reported that City Hall fired Rana Abbasova, director of protocol for international affairs, who has cooperated with federal authorities and was a central witness in the indictment against Adams. 

Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Phil Banks

On Oct. 6, the New York Post reported that Banks was out. The mayor confirmed the departure on NY1 on Oct. 7, saying: “He stated he wants to transition to some other things with his life, and he doesn’t want this to be a constant burden on the work that we’re doing in the city… I wish my good friend well.” In the Adams administration, Banks was the rare deputy mayor who didn’t regularly appear at Adams’ weekly off-topic press conferences; a reason was never provided for his absences. For a short time, Banks held his own regular press conferences on public safety issues, but those ended in 2023 also without explanation. As deputy mayor, Banks exerted influence over the NYPD and Civilian Complaint Review Board. Banks’ role as head of public safety reportedly put him at odds with Adams’ first Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell, who resigned after less than two years. In September, federal authorities raided Banks’ home in Hollis, Queens, and seized his cell phone, The City first reported. He has not been charged with any crimes in any federal inquiries into the Adams administration. Banks and Adams were longtime friends who decades ago served together in the NYPD. Banks was once considered a contender for police commissioner, but abruptly retired from the department in 2014 amid a federal investigation into police corruption. He was later named an unindicted co-conspirator in the sprawling federal corruption case. 

First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright 

Adams confirmed Wright had resigned on Tuesday Oct. 8 at his weekly press briefing. He announced that then-Deputy Mayor for Economic Development, Housing and Workforce Development Maria Torres-Springer would take over in the role. Adams thanked Wright during that announcement: “She has served New Yorkers well over the course of our administration… She’s a great New Yorker,” he said.

The New York Post reported on Oct. 4 that Wright would be leaving the Adams administration, news that was matched by Gothamist and Politico, though it wasn’t initially clear when she would resign. Wright’s exit comes on the heels of the revelation that her husband David Banks would leave the administration earlier than expected. Banks initially announced he would be stepping down at the end of 2024, but the mayor abruptly shifted that date to Oct. 16. The feds raided the home that Wright and Banks share on Sept. 4, but neither has been charged with anything. The couple got married over the weekend of Sept. 28. Wright first joined the administration in January 2022 as deputy mayor of strategic initiatives. She was promoted to first deputy mayor in December 2022 after Lorraine Grillo stepped down.

Senior Adviser Timothy Pearson

A close friend to Adams, Pearson was one of his most problematic aides. He has been the subject of two Department of Investigation inquiries, one into sexual harassment and the other related to an incident when he allegedly attacked security guards at a migrant shelter. He’s also facing four lawsuits from NYPD underlings related to alleged sexual harassment and retaliation in his role. Pearson’s phones were also seized in early September as part of a federal investigation that affected other Adams officials. Earlier last year, Politico reported that Pearson delayed the opening of a migrant facility to secure a security contract for Adams’ close friend Bo Dietl. More recently, the outlet reported that Pearson pushed for the city to hire an artificial intelligence company despite Fire Department concerns, ultimately securing the company a pilot program in the city’s migrant shelters. The city Department of Investigation was investigating that company as of February 2025. The Adams administration had faced questions about Pearson’s misconduct from the City Council before, specifically from Council Member Lincoln Restler, who said Pearson’s conduct “should embarrass us all.” Adams former chief counsel reportedly resigned partly because Adams did not immediately take her advice to remove Pearson. Pearson, who was paid hundreds of thousands of dollars between his NYPD pension and his salary, resigned on September 30, effective Oct. 4, and in his resignation letter said he would be focusing on his family and new endeavors. 

Schools Chancellor David Banks

New York City Schools Chancellor David Banks couldn’t have been more enmeshed in the Adams administration – his partner was first deputy mayor, his brother was deputy mayor for public safety, and his other brother is linked to a company that won a lucrative DOE contract. In early September, all four, including the chancellor, were raided or had devices seized by federal agents amid sprawling probes into members of the mayor’s inner circle. 

But in the middle of a tumultuous moment in the Adams administration, David Banks submitted his resignation to the mayor, as first reported by Pix11 on Sept. 24. Banks’ resignation letter noted that his plans to retire were first discussed with Adams earlier last year, when Banks told him that he planned to do so by the end of 2024. 

Banks’ letter said that he would retire as of Dec. 31, but on Oct. 2, it was reported that he would instead be leaving earlier than planned, on Oct. 16. Banks addressed this change of plans in a statement sent through a private communications firm, saying that the decision was not his own. “The Mayor has decided to accelerate that timeline. My focus will be on supporting the incoming Chancellor as she assumes this new role and continues the great work that we have started at New York City Public Schools,” Banks said. “I will do everything in my power to ensure that students and teachers do not experience any changes or disruptions during this transition.” Banks was appointed to the position in January 2022. 

Health Commissioner Ashwin Vasan

On Sept. 23, Health Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan announced he would step down by January, saying he needs to spend more time with his family. “I’m grateful for their love and have chosen that now it is time to support them and their well-being,” he said in a statement. City Hall denied that Vasan’s departure was linked to ongoing federal probes. The timing of the announcement came shortly after Adams’ chief counsel Lisa Zornberg and his former Police Commissioner Edward Caban stepped down. Vasan has not been touched by any reported federal investigations. Later, on Oct. 15, Vasan informed his staff that his last day would actually be Friday, Oct. 18, citing family needs that had “taken on greater urgency.” 

Vasan served as city health commissioner beginning in early 2022 at the start of Adams’ tenure and helped navigate the city through the tail end of the COVID-19 pandemic and through an outbreak of the Mpox virus. He was outspoken about the negative impacts of social media on teens. He came into the role aiming to focus on mental health as the former leader of a nonprofit called Fountain House, which provides services to people with mental illness. 

Chief Counsel Lisa Zornberg

Adams has characterized the swell of exits in the fall of 2024 as turnover typical in any four-year administration, but there was nothing typical about City Hall Chief Counsel Zornberg’s abrupt resignation, which was announced by City Hall to only a handful of media outlets late on a Saturday night. Zornberg’s resignation letter on Sept. 14 stated that she had “concluded that I can no longer effectively serve in my position.” Adams has declined to comment on conversations he had with Zornberg leading up to her resignation, and has declined to comment on reports that her exit was prompted by his refusal to get rid of officials who have come under federal scrutiny, including then-Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Phil Banks, senior adviser Pearson and Greco, then director of Asian Affairs.

Zornberg was appointed in July 2023, replacing former chief counsel Brendan McGuire. Since news broke in November 2023 that federal investigators were looking into Adams’ 2021 campaign – and as additional investigations into his inner circle have more recently surfaced – Zornberg often fielded and intercepted questions about those probes from the press to the mayor, usually declining to comment.

Police Commissioner Edward Caban

Police Commissioner Edward Caban was also visited by federal authorities in the September sweeps, and just over a week later, on Sept. 12, stepped down as the city’s top cop after a little over a year on the job. Multiple outlets reported that Caban faced pressure to step down from City Hall, which Adams has denied. But Caban’s resignation is one of the only ones in that exodus to explicitly reference the distraction of the federal scrutiny. “The news around recent developments has created a distraction for our department, and I am unwilling to let my attention be on anything other than our important work, or the safety of the men and women of the NYPD,” Caban wrote in his resignation letter.

Caban’s twin brother James also had his phone seized by the feds, who are reportedly looking into whether he profited in his consulting business from his connection to his brother.

Edward Caban was appointed police commissioner in July 2023, replacing Keechant Sewell. After Thomas Donlon served briefly as interim Police Commissioner, Adams tapped Sanitation Commissioner Jessica Tisch to take over at the NYPD in November 2024.