Mayor Eric Adams faced dozens of questions from reporters Tuesday about the ongoing multiple federal probes targeting his administration — that includes one focused on the mayor’s 2021 campaign finances. 

“Stuff comes up in the city, and we’re not going to be distracted,” Adams said. “And one of the distractions is answering the same question over and over and over and over again, like you just going to get a different answer. I’m just not going to do that. I got a city to run.” 

Adding to the pressures, last week, two top officials, the mayor’s lawyer and the police commissioner, resigned.

What You Need To Know

  • Mayor Eric Adams was very defensive during his weekly press conference on Tuesday, where he faced many questions about top officials in his administration 

  • Amid the federal probes, Adams has still remained loyal to senior advisor for public safety Tim Pearson and Deputy Mayor for public safety Phil Banks, who had their homes raided by the FBI

  • Adams insists he is focused on the issues facing the city and is not letting the controversies become a distraction

  • City Councilwoman Alexa Aviles and State Senator Jabari Brisport became the latest officials to call on Adams to resign on Tuesday

Adams insisted he is not distracted. 

“I’m focused on protecting the people of the city and the investigations will take care of themselves,” he said. “And that is not where my time is going to be consumed.” 

This week marked a big difference at the weekly presser. This was the first week former chief counsel Lisa Zornberg was not present. 

Zornberg, according to reports, left after she recommended Adams to fire a handful of officials involved in the federal investigations, potentially including senior adviser Tim Pearson and Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Phil Banks. 

“Unless you were in that conversation, I don’t know how many people can say what’s the reason she left or didn’t leave,” Adams said. “My team comes in all the time give me opinions and what they think and many times I will do just that and sometimes I think no I want to go in another direction.” 

Pearson is already facing four sexual assault lawsuits and is under investigation for incidents at two separate migrant shelters. 

Adams on Tuesday remained loyal to his longtime allies. 

“If you want to continue the narrative that Eric [Adams] only hires his friends, no, I hire competent people that inherited a city that needed real leadership and they brought that authentic leadership,” he said.

Pearson, as part of his role, was given the task of overseeing migrant contracts and, according to Adams, saved the city millions.

Adams defended Pearson’s role in the procurement process, though the ex-cop has no history in working in such a field. 

“There was nothing special about him,” he said. “There was something special about this entire team coming together dealing with probably one of the greatest humanitarian crisis that we have seen in this city.” 

City Councilwoman Alexa Aviles and State Senator Jabari Brisport became the latest officials to call on Adams to resign on Tuesday.