There are at least four separate investigations at the New York City Hall by the FBI, DOJ, IRS, and an internal probe by the city’s Department of Investigations. The city’s top attorney, Lisa Zornberg, resigned on Sept. 14 and New York Police Department Police Commissioner Edward A. Caban resigned on Sept. 12. Over the last two weeks, law enforcement has raided several homes of top city officials and seized many smartphones of officials, including two phones of Mayor Eric Adams. Last week Adams fired a staffer after news reports that he told a bar owner in Brooklyn that “all of his problems would go away,” if the bar owner made a payment to James Caban, the twin brother of former Police Commissioner Edward Caban. There are no charges against the mayor.
While corruption is indeed bad, considering the level of corruption in New York City, this prosecution is inherently political. What upcoming changes would Adams oppose? Wall Street would rather not share power.
