(The Center Square) – Resignation requests are growing for embattled New York City Mayor Eric Adams following resignations of deputy mayors over the weekend.
Four of Adams’ deputy mayors – Maria Torres-Springer, Meera Joshi, Anne Williams-Isom and Chauncey Parker – have submitted their resignations, City Hall said Monday. The resignations came days after the Justice Department officially asked a court to dismiss federal corruption charges against Adams.
“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,” the deputy mayors said in a statement.
Two weeks ago, the Justice Department directed Manhattan’s top federal prosecutor to drop federal charges against Adams, which prompted a wave of resignations within the U.S. attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York.
The Trump administration, in a memo to federal prosecutors, said the indictments are interfering with Adams’ reelection campaign and his support for a crackdown on illegal immigration and crime.
Adams was indicted in September on five counts of federal bribery, fraud and campaign finance violations that could have landed the former city police captain in jail for decades if he was convicted. He pleaded not guilty to the charges, but the case was set to go to trial.
Both Adams and his attorney deny that he offered anything to the Trump administration in exchange for dropping the federal charges. Criticism persists from fellow Democrats and some of New York’s most prominent elected officials.
New York City Council President Adrienne Adams said the city “no longer has the ability to effectively govern” with the mayor in office and called on him to step down.
Adrienne Adams and Eric Adams are not related; they were high school classmates.
“These resignations are the culmination of the mayor’s actions and decisions that have led to months of instability and now compromise the city’s sovereignty, threaten chaos, and risk harm to our families,” Adrinne Adams said in a statement.
Councilman Justin Brannan, a Brooklyn Democrat who chairs the council’s finance committee, added to the growing chorus calling for Eric Adams resignation, saying New Yorkers “deserve a mayor who always puts the city first.”
“City Hall is in turmoil, trust in government has eroded, and New Yorkers are left wondering who is actually running this city,” Brannan said in a statement. “There is too much at stake and we’ve got too much work to do.”
Gov. Kathy Hochul said she plans to meet with New York City leaders Tuesday to discuss a “path forward, with the goal of ensuring stability for the city of New York.”
Hochul has the legal authority to remove Adams from office.
“I recognize the immense responsibility I hold as governor and the constitutional powers granted to this office,” Hochul said in a statement. “In the 235 years of New York state history, these powers have never been utilized to remove a duly-elected mayor; overturning the will of the voters is a serious step that should not be taken lightly. That said, the alleged conduct at City Hall that has been reported over the past two weeks is troubling and cannot be ignored.”