In the most recent shake-up of New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ tumultuous administration, Sheena Wright, first deputy mayor, has been forced to resign Friday, the New York Post has reported.
Wright’s resignation comes a week after Adams was hit with a five-count indictment accusing the mayor of defrauding taxpayers out of $10 million in matching campaign funds and taking $123,000 in bribes in the form of travel perks from Turkish officials and nationals. The mayor has pleaded not guilty and vowed to remain in office.
Wright’s imminent departure comes less than two weeks after David Banks, the head of the city’s public school system, announced he will be stepping down by the end of the calendar year.
Wright and Banks recently were married in Martha’s Vineyard, a move that some saw as an attempt to cover any pending legal entanglements by claiming spousal privilege, which affords the right of a married couple to refuse to testify against each other.
Banks denied the allegations, saying, “The reality is that Sheena and I have been together for quite some time.”
Adams downplayed the slew of resignations, telling reporters that New York City’s government would continue operating as normal.
“What’s important to me is that those who are here, like my core deputy mayors, that they’re able to carry out their portfolio,” he said to reporters Friday morning when asked if Wright was leaving. “They’ve done an amazing job thus far, and my conversations with them: Let’s keep doing the work we’re doing.”
Following Adams' own corruption charges and other investigations of high-ranking officials within New York City Hall, speculation is that New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has been forcing Adams to clean house and Wright is just the latest casualty.
When reached by phone by the outlet to comment on the speculations, Wright responded “not true,” before hanging up.