Senior Advisor to NYC Mayor Steps Down
Ingrid Lewis-Martin has become the latest high-ranking official to resign from the beleaguered administration as authorities pursue their investigation.
Ingrid Lewis-Martin, who served as the chief adviser to New York City Mayor Eric Adams, has stepped down from her role and may be facing criminal charges soon. This follows the seizure of her phones and an FBI raid of her Brooklyn residence in September, part of an inquiry into alleged conflicts of interest in commercial property leasing.
The office of District Attorney Alvin Bragg has presented evidence regarding Lewis-Martin to a grand jury. Her long-standing friendship and political ties with the mayor reportedly date back to the mid-1980s.
In his statement, the mayor expressed his admiration for Lewis-Martin and acknowledged her service, stating, “We’ve often discussed when this day would arrive, and while we have prepared for it, it is still difficult to accept that Ingrid will no longer be by my side every day. I, along with every New Yorker, owe her a great debt for her service to our city.”
The mayor is set to face a trial in April 2025 for five charges alleging he accepted improper campaign contributions totaling around $10 million through “straw donors” during his mayoral campaign, in addition to accusations of receiving bribes from representatives of the Turkish government in exchange for political favors.
The mayor has pleaded not guilty to these allegations, insisting that all his actions were legitimate. Following the unsealing of the indictment during a press conference on September 26, he encouraged the public to await a thorough review of the evidence before reaching any conclusions.
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Members of the often confrontational New York City Council called for Caban to resign amid the investigation.
Tom Donlon, a veteran law enforcement officer with antiterrorism experience, has taken over as interim police commissioner.
Additionally, New York Public Schools Chancellor David Banks, along with Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright and Deputy Mayor Phillip Banks, are under federal inquiry, which involved the confiscation of their phones and searches of their properties.
As the political landscape becomes more tumultuous due to ongoing investigations, the mayor is faced with a growing list of primary challengers eager to unseat him in the upcoming election.
Notably, one of Walden’s clients is Joseph Jardin, the fire prevention chief for the New York City Fire Department, whom Adams allegedly pressured to expedite fire safety approvals for a consular building, despite existing violations that could take substantial time to rectify.
The mayor’s office has not provided a comment by the time of publication.
