New York City’s embattled Mayor Eric Adams announced Monday that he has accepted the resignation of Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Philip Banks, the latest senior official to resign as the mayor fends off accusations and calls for his resignation.
Adams said on TV station NY1 that Banks told him Sunday that he “wanted to move on to other things” and “didn’t want this to be a constant burden to the work we do for the city.” The mayor added, “I pray for my friend’s safety.”
The resignation is First reported in the New York Post, coming in a month Federal agents seize device The comments came from top city officials, including Mr. Banks and his brother, Schools Superintendent David Banks, who also announced his resignation. A total of five government officials have left the government in the past month.
Federal prosecutors said they are pursuing “several related investigations” in addition to the case against the mayor. was indicted late last month Charged with receiving illegal campaign funds and bribes from foreigners. He pleaded not guilty.
In a separate investigation, federal prosecutors A consulting firm run by Banks’ third brother, Terrence.The suspect broke the law by using family connections to help private companies win city contracts, according to people familiar with the matter. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to disclose information about the investigation.
All three Banks brothers deny wrongdoing. Philip Banks’ attorney, Benjamin Brafman, said Monday that federal prosecutors have assured him that his client is not a target of the investigation. He said prosecutors were initially scrutinizing “minor” Zell payments between the brothers that were actually related to poker games.
The Justice Department’s definition of targets is notoriously fluid. Prior to Adams’ indictment, the city’s top attorney, who has since resigned, told reporters that the mayor did not appear to be a target of the investigation.
Mr Adams has rejected calls to resign, mounted a legal defense and brushed off concerns about his ability to govern as he contends with the exodus of key aides. “When we get the real story out there, not the one-sided story, New Yorkers will understand that we can stay focused and get the job done,” he said Monday.
But what he is facing is Increased pressure to keep the house clean That includes Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul, who has the power to remove him from office.
Adams appointed Phillip Banks as deputy public safety officer in 2022, a position not seen in New York since the 1990s, giving him broad influence over the nation’s largest police and fire departments.
Mr. Banks previously served as the NYPD’s highest-ranking uniformed officer, but he abruptly resigned in 2014 after becoming embroiled in a new corruption scandal that rocked City Hall.
In that case, federal investigators were given permission to wiretap his cellphone amid questions about $300,000 that flowed into his and his wife’s bank accounts. Two businessmen were subsequently convicted of bribing police officers and other officials. Banks was not indicted, but was named as an unindicted co-conspirator.
He later admitted that he had received gifts from the businessmen, including overseas trips, meals and cigars, which he had mistakenly not listed in his disclosure documents.
“I have never broken the law, nor have I abused my authority as an NYPD officer or betrayed the public’s trust,” he wrote in a guest essay. announce his return He entered public office under Adams.
Adams has been friends with the Banks brothers since the 1980s, when the future mayors were young police officers and their father, Philip Banks Jr., was a law enforcement mentor.
On Thursday, Adams announced that the school system would cease operations on Oct. 16, rather than at the end of the calendar year as previously announced by David Banks. David Banks said in a statement that he had intended to stay on until the end of the year “to make responsible changes to staff,” but Adams “has decided to accelerate that timeline.”
In addition to seizing the Banks brothers’ cellphones, federal agents also seized devices from Edward Caban, the city’s police chief, and Timothy Pearson, one of Adams’ top aides. Both men subsequently resigned. Both Mr Caban and Mr Pearson deny wrongdoing.
At a press conference last month, Adams spoke about his close relationship with the Banks brothers.
“I’ve known the Banks family for years,” he said. “And knowing someone, I hold them to the same standards that I hold myself to.”
