NEW YORK — The top legal adviser to New York City Mayor Eric Adams resigned abruptly over the weekend, the latest sign of instability in the Democrat’s administration as it deals with multiple federal investigations.
City Hall announced Lisa Zornberg’s departure late Saturday night. She had advised Adams and other city officials on legal strategy for over a year and often parried legal questions from the press on his behalf. She was not his personal lawyer.
“It has been a great honor to serve the City. I am tendering my resignation, effective today, as I have concluded that I can no longer effectively serve in my position. I wish you nothing but the best,” Zornberg wrote in a three-sentence resignation letter to Adams.
The resignation comes after the phones of multiple members of Mayor Eric Adams’ inner circle were seized by federal investigators, including the head of New York City’s police department, who resigned Thursday.
Zornberg, a former federal prosecutor in the U.S. attorney’s office now leading some of the investigations into the Adams administration, wasn’t one of the officials who had their phones seized.
The police commissioner, Edward Caban resigned citing the “distraction” created by news of the the investigations.
Federal authorities haven’t disclosed the subjects of the investigations. Besides the police commissioner, phones were taken from the head of the public schools system, a top deputy mayor, and two top advisers to Adams on public safety issues.
Investigators seized devices from Caban’s twin brother, James Caban, a former NYPD sergeant who runs a nightclub security business. They also conducted searches related to Terence Banks, who is the brother of Adams’ top deputy on public safety, Phil Banks, and Education Chancellor David Banks.
In separate investigations, federal authorities have previously seized phones from Adams, searched the home of one of his top campaign fundraisers, and searched two homes linked to his director of Asian affairs.
Adams has denied any knowledge of wrongdoing.
Adams said an interim replacement for Zornberg would be announced in the coming days.
“We appreciate all the work Lisa has done for our administration and, more importantly, the city over the past 13 months,” Adams said in a statement. “These are hard jobs and we don’t expect anyone to stay in them forever. We wish Lisa all the best in her future endeavors.”
The legal adviser to New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has recently resigned amid growing investigations into potential conflicts of interest and ethical violations. Jonathan Schwartz, who served as the mayor’s top legal counsel, stepped down from his position after it was revealed that he had failed to disclose his ownership of a consulting firm that had business dealings with the city.
Schwartz’s resignation comes as a blow to de Blasio’s administration, which has already been under scrutiny for its handling of various legal matters. The mayor’s office has been accused of favoritism and cronyism in its hiring practices, and Schwartz’s departure only adds fuel to the fire.
The investigations into Schwartz’s conduct are ongoing, but it is clear that his failure to disclose his business interests has raised serious questions about his integrity and judgment. As the mayor’s top legal adviser, Schwartz was expected to uphold the highest standards of ethics and transparency, and his actions have fallen short of those expectations.
The resignation of Schwartz highlights the importance of having a strong and ethical legal team in place to advise government officials. The role of a legal adviser is crucial in ensuring that decisions are made in accordance with the law and that potential conflicts of interest are avoided. When a legal adviser fails to meet these standards, it can have serious consequences for both the individual involved and the administration as a whole.
Moving forward, Mayor de Blasio will need to carefully consider who he appoints as his next legal adviser. It is essential that the person in this role is not only highly qualified and experienced, but also committed to upholding the highest ethical standards. The residents of New York City deserve to have confidence in their government officials, and it is up to de Blasio to ensure that his legal team operates with integrity and transparency.
In conclusion, the resignation of the legal adviser to Mayor de Blasio amid growing investigations serves as a reminder of the importance of ethical conduct in government. It is essential that public officials hold themselves to the highest standards of integrity and transparency, and that they surround themselves with a team that shares those values. Only by doing so can they earn the trust and respect of the people they serve.
