Four Adams Deputy Mayors Quit Following Trump Deal
Mayor Eric Adams begged some of his top deputies to stick around as they told him this weekend they wanted to resign amid the Trump Justice Department’s extraordinary move to toss his federal corruption case, sources told THE CITY.
The Plea
The plea came during a Zoom call with First Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer, Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Anne Williams-Isom, Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi, and Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Chauncey Parker. All but Parker joined the administration at the 2022 start of Adams’ term.
The mayor, who has steadfastly said he will remain doing his job, urged the trio to stay at least through March, according to sources.
The Decision
On Monday, Joshi sent a statement to friends and colleagues that the three will be stepping down.
"Serving as Deputy Mayors has been the greatest honor and privilege of our lives," it read. "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 Response
The mayor responded with a statement: "I am disappointed to see them go, but given the current challenges, I understand their decision and wish them nothing but success in the future."
A spokesperson for Adams, Kayla Mamelak-Altus, confirmed Parker was also stepping down.
Parker said, "Serving as deputy mayor for public safety under Mayor Adams has been an honor of a lifetime."
The Context
Adams’ Sunday plea to the deputy mayors followed a Friday meeting at Gracie Mansion first reported by POLITICO, where mayoral deputies voiced concerns about his partnership with Trump’s immigration enforcement. Sunday’s meeting was first reported by NBC 4 New York.
The meetings followed a commitment by Adams to take executive action, bucking New York’s sanctuary city law, to allow Immigration and Customs Enforcement to work on Rikers Island and media appearances with Trump’s "border czar," Tom Homan, in which Adams also hinted at an expanded NYPD role.
The Consequences
The departure of these deputy mayors could further erode any confidence Gov. Kathy Hochul has in Adams — who she has the authority to remove. Last fall, his elevation to top posts of Torres-Springer and other government veterans, coinciding with the departure of multiple administration officials close to Adams who were under federal and state criminal probes, prompted Hochul to say she would allow the mayor to stick around.
The Future
The Daily News reported deputy mayor for communications Fabien Levy is also eyeing his exit.
FAQs
- Why did the deputy mayors resign?
The deputy mayors resigned due to the extraordinary events of the last few weeks and to stay faithful to their oaths to New Yorkers and their families. - What is the context behind their resignation?
The deputy mayors’ resignation comes amid a partnership between Mayor Adams and Trump’s immigration enforcement, which has raised concerns about the mayor’s independence and the city’s sanctuary city law. - What is the impact of the resignation on Mayor Adams?
The resignation could further erode any confidence Gov. Kathy Hochul has in Adams, who she has the authority to remove.
