(New York) If we accept the definition of the word nepotism from Little RobertIt is hard not to conclude that New York Mayor Eric Adams is one of its heroes: “The abuse of power by a person in office for the benefit of his family and friends.”
Favoritism is one reason elected officials from his party have called for the 64-year-old Democrat to resign.
The latter will begin the final year of his term as mayor of the American city next January, if he retains his position until then.
The term is borrowed from Italian. favoritism It also allows us to uncover the incredible tangle of federal searches and investigations surrounding Eric Adams and his entourage.
Banks
Let's start with the Banks brothers – Phil, David, and Terrence – whose father, Philip Jr., was one of Eric Adams's lieutenants and friends during his tenure as a captain on the NYPD.
Phil is now New York City's deputy mayor for public safety. David is the city's chief public school officer. Terrence heads a consulting firm that offers to guide clients through the maze of city government.
Eric Adams considers the Banks brothers dear friends, and in the case of Phil and David, valuable collaborators.
However, on September 4, FBI agents searched the Banks' homes and seized their phones. They also seized the phone of David's girlfriend, Sheena Wright, the city's first deputy mayor.
The searches and seizures were part of one of five federal investigations targeting Mayor Adams and a total of 15 members of his administration since last year. According to New York media, corruption and influence peddling will be involved this time.
Investigators are reportedly seeking to determine whether Phil Banks played a role in awarding municipal contracts to his brother Terrence's clients.
This is not Phil's first case. In 2014, he left the upper echelons of the NYPD after being named as an unindicted co-conspirator in a police corruption trial.
Cabins
Now let's move on to the Caban brothers – Edward and James – whose father, Juan, was also one of Eric Adams' friends since their days as NYPD uniforms.
Until September 12, Edward was the New York Police Chief. Before making him the first Puerto Rican New Yorker to hold the position, in July 2023, Eric Adams had him climb several levels ahead of his more experienced and qualified colleagues.
James is a former NYPD sergeant. Edward is his identical twin, who was fired from the NYPD in 2001 after being convicted in a case involving the kidnapping of a taxi driver.
On September 4, FBI agents also searched the Caban brothers' residences and seized their phones and other electronic devices.
New York bar and restaurant owners then accused James Caban, via the media, of offering to settle their problems with the NYPD for $2,500.
After resisting calls to resign for a week, Edward Cabanne finally gave in. In accepting his resignation, Eric Adams discussed all the searches and seizures that had been made of members of his administration.
“I was as surprised as you were to learn of these investigations and I take them very seriously,” he said at a news conference.
The mayor was among those who called for his police chief to resign. But he did not make the same demand for other members of his administration who were targeted by the FBI, none of whom have been charged.
friends
This group also includes Timothy Pearson, one of Eric Adams’s best friends and most important advisers. Even before he saw the FBI seize his phone on that eventful day of September 4, the former NYPD inspector had already been accused of systematic sexual harassment and retaliation in four complaints filed this year.
These lawsuits also raised serious questions about his interest in city contracts.
“You know how these contracts work?” he told his co-worker, according to one lawsuit. “People are very good with these contracts. I have to get mines. Where’s my girl?”
On September 14, a new tile fell on Eric Adams’ head. Lisa Zornberg, his chief legal counsel, abruptly announced her resignation, saying she could no longer “practice.” [ses] Works effectively.
Media reports attributed the decision to…I Zornberg blamed Eric Adams for refusing to follow his recommendation to fire Timothy Pearson and Phil Banks, a claim the mayor denied. In a recent statement, he defended the appointment of his friends.
“If you want to keep saying that Eric just hires his friends, I would say, ‘No. I hired good people who inherited a city that needed real leadership and brought real leadership.
It should be remembered that Eric Adams himself was targeted by the FBI last year. Agents seized phones and an iPad from his company vehicle as part of an investigation into his 2021 campaign finances.
This investigation, like others, has yet to yield any charges. But at least five elected Democrats have seen and heard enough.
“Eric Adams is unfit to govern. New York deserves better. It’s time for him to resign,” Queens City Councilwoman Tiffany Caban (no relation to the Caban brothers) wrote on X.
