Eric Adams' former top aide to face new charges
Lewis-Martin resigned from her role as chief adviser to the mayor in December, days before she was indicted on bribery charges. She's accused of helping a pair of real estate developers with bureaucratic issues in exchange for gifts to her son, including $100,000 he allegedly used to purchase a Porsche. She pleaded not guilty and denied any wrongdoing.
The new charges will be entirely separate from those allegations, Aidala said. He is expecting at least two new cases to be brought, likely with co-defendants.
'Mayor Adams was not involved in this matter and has not been accused of or implicated in any wrongdoing,' City Hall spokesperson Kayla Mamelak Altus said in a statement. 'He remains focused on what has always been his priority — serving the 8.5 million New Yorkers who call this city home and making their city safer and more affordable every single day. Ingrid Lewis-Martin no longer works for this administration.'
Lewis-Martin remains a volunteer adviser on Adams' reelection campaign.
It would be just the latest legal issue to dog Adams and his inner circle. A federal judge dismissed his own corruption charges after the Trump administration moved to drop the case. But a donor and a staffer have both pleaded guilty to conspiring on straw donor schemes benefitting Adams' campaign, and several other donors pleaded guilty to a separate scheme in state court.
Top members of his administration, including his first deputy mayor, police commissioner and schools chancellor were also pushed out last year after coming under federal investigation.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
18 minutes ago
- New York Post
Zohran Mamdani doubles down on pro-prostitution policies as he praises ex-NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio's decriminalization focus
Mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani has doubled down on his pro-prostitution policies. After being hounded by rival campaigns about his stance on decriminalizing sex work as a Queens assemblymember, Mamdani said Wednesday that he wants to mirror the policies of his favorite ex-mayor: Bill de Blasio. 'What I want to do is look at the ways in which the previous administration addressed this issue,' Mamdani, the Democratic nominee, said when pressed on the issue during an unrelated public event on the Upper East Side. 5 NYC Mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani has doubled down on his position on pro-prostitution policies. Matthew McDermott 'I found that it created far more safety than what the current administration has done,' he told reporters, in a ding at Mayor Eric Adams, who is running for re-election as an independent in November. De Blasio, at the tail end of his administration in 2020, proposed a series of reforms to decriminalize prostitution in an attempt to shift focus on the arrests of traffickers, rather than sex workers. Opponents of decriminalizing sex work, such as the National Organization of Women, however, argue it could actually lead to spikes in sex trafficking, as well as a decrease in quality of life for New Yorkers due to open-air brothels. De Blasio's admin pushed the use of 'community-centered services' for sex workers, rather than arrests, and services supporting victims of trafficking. 5 Mamdani told reporters he wants his policies to reflect those of ex-mayor Bill de Blasio. Paul Martinka 5 At a public event taking place in the Upper East Side, the mayoral frontrunner said he wants to 'look at the ways in which the previous administration addressed this issue.' Matthew McDermott But it's not clear how much of these policies ended up being implemented. Current City Hall representatives didn't respond to a request for comment about the Adams admin's implementation or rollback of the de-Blasio era proposals. But Mamdani, a proud Democratic Socialists of America member, took the opportunity to swipe at Adams' record on the issue. 5 During the de Blasio era, his administration sought to use 'community-centered services' for sex workers, rather than arresting individuals. William Farrington 5 Mamdani took a shot at Mayor Eric Adams at the public event, saying his administration has led 'New Yorkers facing the same problems that they did a year prior.' Matthew McDermott 'So I have said time and again, my focus is on the outcomes of public safety,' he claimed. 'And what we have seen from this current administration is a theater, one that repeats itself every so often and leaves New Yorkers facing the same problems that they did a year prior.' A representative for Adams' campaign did not respond to a request for comment. The Manhattan District attorney's Office announced that it would no longer prosecute prostitution cases in April 2021.
New York Post
an hour ago
- New York Post
‘Fare adjustment'? Sorry, Janno Lieber: New Yorkers know a fare hike when they see one
Luiz C. Ribeiro for New York Post 'Fare adjustment': That's what MTA boss Janno Lieber laughably calls the next subway-fare hike. Give us a break: A hike is a hike. And every New Yorker knows it. Lieber is resorting to Team Hochul's Orwellian-naming schtick for papering over bad news and rotten policy. Advertisement As in the faux-wonk term 'congestion pricing' for a $9-per-trip tax that's still headed back to the originally-planned $15 — which will doubtless rise on in what Lieber can call 'a congestion pricing adjustment.' More mush: Don't forget that Gov. Kathy Hochul bragged about 'saving' New Yorkers money by starting with only $9 when she socked them with that tax, not the full $15?) Advertisement OK: The subway hike is just a dime, to $3 (for now). But it comes atop countless other taxes that hit New York residents with the nation's heaviest state- and local-tax burden. 'While a small increase may seem like nothing to you at all, it makes a big difference,' one resident, Hannah Reed, told MTA board members. Get opinions and commentary from our columnists Subscribe to our daily Post Opinion newsletter! Thanks for signing up! Enter your email address Please provide a valid email address. By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Never miss a story. Check out more newsletters Advertisement Yet the brass won't admit the truth: 'I would not call this a hike,' board member Neal Zuckerman huffed. It's 'a very gradual raise, and I think very respectful of the inflation and affordability issues.' What arrogance. As one straphanger, Emmanuel Vasquez, fumed, 'There's always flooding, there's always a brake emergency, there's always a power outage' on the subway, but officials never stop zapping riders with hikes. And that's despite the billions the agency collects not just from fares but city, state and federal tax revenue, corporations, individual taxes and, yes, 'congestion pricing.' Advertisement And while it diverts money to politically-driven projects like Second Avenue Subway expansion: On Monday, the board OK'd a $1.9 billion contract for just a part of project; the final tab will run at least $7 billion for just three new stations. Lieber & Co. know darn well their repeated dips into New Yorkers' pockets sting; they just don't care to admit it. Why else hide behind weasel words?
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Faced with choosing, NYC Mayor Adams nods toward running on ‘Safe and Affordable' ballot line
Mayor Adams appears to be leaning toward selecting 'Safe&Affordable' as his ballot line in November's election as opposed to 'EndAntiSemitism' after New York City's elections board told him late Tuesday he must soon pick one of them. Still, Adams — who has made support for Israel and fighting antisemitism key focuses of his reelection bid — vowed Wednesday to mount a legal challenge to be able to run on both lines. It's unclear if there's enough though time for him to mount such a court case. In a letter sent to Adams late Tuesday, a copy of which was obtained by the Daily News, the BOE wrote he needs to 'inform this Board in writing within five business days of the date of this letter of your choice as to which row or column you wish to have.' If Adams doesn't make a pick by that deadline, Vincent Ignizio, the board's deputy executive director, told The News the panel 'will select for him.' In response, Adams campaign spokesman Todd Shapiro said in a statement Wednesday the mayor 'intends to pursue legal options' to still try and appear on both lines. While he didn't say it outright, Shapiro's statement also suggested 'Safe&Affordable' is Adams' likely selection if it turns out he has to select one. 'At the same time, voters can be confident that Mayor Adams will appear on the Safe and Affordable ballot line in all five boroughs — ensuring millions of New Yorkers will have their voices heard at the polls,' the statement said. The Board of Elections has for months told Adams to select a single ballot line, maintaining that state law holds independent candidates can only run on one. In response, Adams has for months said he would challenge that determination in court. He has yet to file any court case, though. Adams, who's facing an uphill climb in the mayoral election running as an independent candidate, collected enough petition signatures to qualify for both lines. Still reeling from political fallout over his federal corruption indictment, Adams' reelection effort is seen as a long shot. He's polling far behind Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani, the favorite to win November's election. Solve the daily Crossword
