NEW YORK (AP) — New York City Mayor Eric Adams faces growing questions about his ability to govern after federal investigators seized phones from several officials in his administration, heightening scrutiny of the Democrat who is already embroiled in what appears to be a separate criminal investigation.
On Wednesday, federal agents seized devices from Police Commissioner Adams, his schools chancellor, two deputy mayors and several other advisers.
None of the officials involved have been charged with a crime, but the wave of raids has heightened suspicions surrounding Adams, a former city police captain who portrayed himself as a champion of law and order.
They also raised internal questions about the administration's ability to focus on serving the nation's largest city.
In a private meeting with city officials Friday, Emergency Management Commissioner Zach Iscol offered a stark assessment of the impact of the investigations on public safety.
“This is not good,” he said, according to a recording of the meeting obtained by The Associated Press. “There’s a lot going on in the city, and what worries me most is that the city’s leadership is distracted.”
The agency that oversees the city's emergency procedures falls under Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Philip Banks, whose home was visited by law enforcement officials Wednesday. Iscol said in a phone call that he had not spoken with City Hall leadership as of Friday morning.
The FBI and the U.S. attorney's office in Manhattan declined to comment, and it was not immediately clear whether federal authorities were seeking information related to one investigation or several.
In addition to Banks, federal agents on Wednesday seized devices from Police Commissioner Edward Cabana, First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright, Banks' brother, David Banks, the city's schools chancellor, and Timothy Pearson, a top mayoral adviser and former top New York City Police Department official.
The seizures come nearly a year after federal agents seized Adams' phones and iPad as he left an event in Manhattan. Investigators also searched the homes of Adams' top campaign fundraiser and a member of his administration's international affairs office.
In February, federal authorities raided two properties owned by the Asian affairs director as part of a separate investigation overseen by the U.S. attorney's office in Brooklyn.
Earlier this summer, Adams, his campaign and the mayor's office received subpoenas from federal prosecutors seeking information about the mayor's foreign travel and possible ties to the Turkish government.
The latest round of searches appears to be unrelated to the investigation in Turkey and the probe by federal prosecutors in Brooklyn, according to two people familiar with the matter who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to disclose information about the investigations.
“There’s a whiff of corruption around the mayor,” said Douglas Muzzio, a retired Baruch College political science professor with a deep knowledge of New York City politics. “You have to believe that at some point the sense that government isn’t working will start to permeate the public consciousness.”
Federal investigators appeared to be looking into Adams’ inner circle as early as this winter. John Scola, a lawyer representing four city employees who have accused Pearson of sexual harassment, said three of his clients received visits in February from FBI agents who wanted to know about Pearson and his work with City Hall.
Pearson previously worked alongside Phil Banks before being tasked with heading up a new division of the mayor's office responsible for overseeing city agencies.
Those who worked with Pearson said he had an unusual set of responsibilities that gave him broad discretion over promotions, pandemic recovery efforts and some migrant homeless shelters. He now faces a separate city investigation for his role in a brawl at one of those shelters.
Throughout his tenure as an FBI agent, Adams insisted that he followed the law and that he would continue to focus on his duties as mayor.
When Adams was repeatedly asked about the investigations at press conferences, he said his mantra was to “focus, stay focused and work hard.”
Mayoral spokesman Fabien Levy said nothing would prevent the administration from carrying out its duties.
“For much of the year, the mayor has made it clear that, as a former law enforcement officer, he will always follow the law, while at the same time remaining focused on serving the residents of the city,” Levy said in a statement Friday, pointing to recent crime declines, job growth and other city initiatives.
After the morning search, the mayor visited the emergency tunnel in person on Wednesday, held a public event to mark the first day of school and met with residents concerned about e-bikes. On Friday, he held his regularly scheduled visit to senior staff at 8 a.m., then met with the mayor of Lisbon, Levy said.
In a statement, Schools Chancellor David Banks said, “I remain focused on providing a safe, academically challenging and joyful school year. I confirm that I am cooperating with the federal investigation. I am unable to comment further on this matter at this time.”
Benjamin Brafman, an attorney for Philip Banks, confirmed the search was conducted but declined to comment further. The NYPD's media relations office also confirmed a federal investigation involving department officers but declined to make Cabana available for comment. A phone message left for Pearson's attorney was not returned.
But news of the latest investigations has given Adams' opponents new and powerful lines of attack ahead of what is expected to be a tense Democratic mayoral primary season.
Brad Lander, a Democrat who is the city comptroller and one of Adams's few challengers in next year's primary, said the fact that the investigations involve so much of the mayor's top staff could create “a certain level of distraction and concern about the credibility and implications for all New Yorkers.”
“New Yorkers want to know that their leaders are focused on their problems, not their personal problems, and agency employees also need focused leadership to help them meet the challenges New Yorkers face,” Lander said.
Scott Stringer, a former city comptroller who is expected to run for reelection next year, said the investigations are becoming a major obstacle to the day-to-day running of government.
“We New Yorkers are not stupid,” he said. “We know this government is paralyzed by the investigation. I think the mayor needs to come forward and tell New Yorkers, for real, everything he knows about what's going on.”