Sheena Wright, NYC Mayor Adams' first deputy mayor, expected to resign, sources say

Chris Sommerfeldt and Josephine Stratman, New York Daily News on Oct 4, 2024

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NEW YORK — Sheena Wright, New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ second in command at City Hall, is set to resign from her post in what would be another high-level departure from his administration, which has become besieged by a flurry of federal corruption investigations, according to multiple sources close to the matter.

The first deputy mayor’s resignation, expected Friday night, comes four days after Tim Pearson, another beleaguered top adviser to the mayor, announced his departure from the administration.

“As always, no personnel changes are confirmed until it’s announced,” Adams spokeswoman Amaris Cockfield said in a statement.

Adams pleaded not guilty last week to charges that he accepted bribes and illegal campaign contributions from Turkish nationals and government officials in exchange for doling out political favors. In the days since, pressure has mounted on him to step down or find a way to reassure New Yorkers that he can run the city while facing federal charges.

On Wednesday, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, who has the power to boot the mayor from office, acknowledged that she has privately directed him to make personnel changes, and called Pearson’s resignation a “good first step.”

“We expect changes. That’s not a secret,” Hochul said at a Midtown news conference.

On Friday morning, Adams said he planned to speak with Hochul later in the day, but didn’t provide further details.

The federal investigation is still ongoing, with prosecutors saying Wednesday they expect to charge more defendants in the Turkey case. In addition, there are separate federal corruption probes that have also ensnared several top aides.

Adams issued an executive order last week that allowed Wright’s job to fall to another top aide if she was “unable to perform her duties” — an unusual move that came just weeks after federal investigators seized her phones and raided her home as part of a sprawling probe that has thrown City Hall into chaos.

Fabian Levy, a spokesman for the mayor, said last week the order was made to ensure “continuity of government,” but denied that Wright was leaving the administration.

Wright and Schools Chancellor David Banks got married on Martha’s Vineyard last weekend in a small, private wedding.

Her exit also comes on the heels of several others over the past few weeks.

Chancellor Banks, who shares a home with Wright and also had his phones seized by the feds last month, announced last week he’s retiring at the end of the year — only for the mayor this week to move up his departure and order him to resign Oct. 16 instead.

A day before Banks’ announcement, Health Commissioner Ashwin Vasan revealed he’s stepping down, a move that came after City Hall Chief Counsel Lisa Zornberg and Edward Caban, the New York Police Department commissioner, abruptly left the administration.

Before coming to the administration, Wright was the head of the nonprofit United Way of New York City. She also was president and chief executive of Abyssinian Development Corp., the economic development side of the Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem.

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