This unexpected departure is the most recent indication of turbulence within the Democratic administration, which is currently grappling with several federal investigations.
According to NPR, City Hall confirmed Zornberg's exit late Saturday night. Zornberg, who is not Adams' personal attorney, had been providing legal counsel to the Mayor and other city officials for over a year. She was often seen fielding legal inquiries from the media on behalf of the Mayor. "It has been a great honor to serve the City. I am tendering my resignation, effective today, as I have concluded that I can no longer effectively serve in my position. I wish you nothing but the best," Zornberg stated in her succinct resignation letter to Adams.
Zornberg's resignation follows the seizure of phones belonging to several members of Mayor Eric Adams' close-knit team by federal investigators. This group includes the head of New York City's police department, who stepped down on Thursday. Interestingly, Zornberg, a former federal prosecutor in the U.S. attorney's office now spearheading some of the investigations into the Adams administration, was not among the officials whose phones were confiscated.
Edward Caban, the police commissioner, stepped down, attributing his decision to the "distraction" caused by the ongoing investigations. The federal authorities, however, have remained tight-lipped about the subjects of their investigations. Apart from the police commissioner, phones were seized from the head of the public schools system, a top deputy mayor, and two of Adams' top advisors on public safety issues.
The investigations have also extended to James Caban, Edward Caban's twin brother and a former NYPD sergeant who now operates a nightclub security business. Federal authorities have also conducted searches related to Terence Banks, the brother of Adams' top deputy on public safety, Phil Banks, and Education Chancellor David Banks.
In previous separate investigations, federal authorities have seized phones from Adams, searched the residence of one of his top campaign fundraisers, and conducted searches at two homes linked to his director of Asian affairs. Despite these investigations, Adams has consistently denied any knowledge of wrongdoing.
Mayor Adams has assured that an interim replacement for Zornberg will be announced shortly. "We appreciate all the work Lisa has done for our administration and, more importantly, the city over the past 13 months," Adams said in a statement. "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."
Login