New York City Mayor Eric Adams‘s closest adviser resigned on Sunday as the powerful leader faces federal corruption charges and a trial in the spring.
Ingrid Lewis-Martin became the latest person in Adams’s orbit to resign after investigations have riddled the mayor’s office. Lewis-Martin had her phone seized and her home searched by federal authorities in September as one of several people close to Adams facing scrutiny from federal investigators.
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Adams said that Lewis-Martin has “not been just a friend, a confidante and trusted adviser, but also a sister,” in a statement announcing her departure, according to the New York Times.
“We’ve always talked about when this day would come, and while we’ve long planned for it, it is still hard to know that Ingrid won’t be right next door every day. I, and every New Yorker, owe her a debt of gratitude for her decades of service to our city,” Adams added.
The resignation comes months after a trove of officials resigned from the mayor’s office, including Deputy Mayors Phillip Banks III and Sheena Wright, surrounding Adams’s September indictment.
Adams pleaded not guilty to five charges, including one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, federal program bribery, and to receive campaign contributions by foreign nationals; one count of wire fraud; two counts of solicitation of a contribution by a foreign national; and one count of bribery.
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The embattled mayor is up for reelection next year and is set to face several Democratic primary challengers as he seeks a second term to lead New York City.
One of his opponents could be former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who is reportedly eyeing a political comeback after resigning from the governor’s office in 2021.