NYC Mayor Adams’ top legal counsel Lisa Zornberg resigned late Saturday, a high-level departure that comes as City Hall is wrestling with the fallout from a federal investigation that has ensnared a number of the mayor’s closest advisers, the Daily News has learned,
No reason was given for the departure in a statement issued by Adams.
“We appreciate all the work Lisa has done for our administration and, more importantly, the city over the past 13 months,” read the statement, posted online by WPIX-11. “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 other senior members of the counsel’s team will remain in their roles to ensure the office continues to fully operate without issue, and we expect to name an acting chief counsel in the coming days.”
Zornberg is a key member of the Adams administration, and she leaves in the midst of a turbulent period in Adams’ tenure.
Five top administration officials — former police commissioner Edward Caban, Deputy Mayors Philip Banks and Sheena Wright, Schools Chancellor David Banks and senior mayoral adviser Timothy Pearson had their phones taken last week by federal agents as part of a corruption investigaton.
Sources say James Caban, the twin brother Edward Caban is under scrutiny from the feds for using his family ties to drum up security business. The business dealings of Terence Banks, brother to Phil and David, are also being looked at by federal authorities, the Daily News has learned
No one has been accused of any wrongdoing, but Caban resigned as the city’s top cop Thursday and a City Hall staffer was fired after a televised report aired linking him to James Caban.
The probe is the latest legal headache for Adams, whose 2021 campaign is also facing a federal investigation over alleged ties to Turkey. The mayor has also been accused in a civil lawsuit of sexual misconduct; he has vigorously denied the allegations.
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