New York City Mayor Eric Adams faced another setback over the weekend as his top legal adviser, Lisa Zornberg, abruptly resigned from her position. Zornberg had been providing legal counsel to Adams and other city officials for over a year, handling legal matters and interacting with the press on behalf of the Mayor. Her resignation was announced by City Hall late Saturday night, citing her inability to effectively serve in her role.
The resignation comes amidst a backdrop of federal investigations targeting members of Adams' administration. Recently, federal investigators seized the phones of several key figures in the Mayor's inner circle, including the police commissioner who resigned last Thursday, citing the distraction caused by the investigations.
While Zornberg, a former federal prosecutor, is leading some of the investigations into the Adams administration, her own phone was not among those seized by authorities. The investigations have not disclosed specific subjects, but individuals whose phones were taken include top officials in the police department, public schools system, and key advisers on public safety matters.
Additionally, federal authorities have previously seized phones from Mayor Adams himself, searched the home of a top campaign fundraiser, and conducted searches at properties linked to his director of Asian affairs. Despite the mounting scrutiny, Adams has maintained his innocence, denying any knowledge of wrongdoing.
In response to Zornberg's resignation, Mayor Adams expressed appreciation for her service and announced that an interim replacement would be named in the coming days. Acknowledging the challenges of the roles within his administration, Adams wished Zornberg well in her future endeavors and thanked her for her contributions over the past 13 months.
