New York City mayor won’t say whether he supports police commissioner despite being shadowed by investigation

NEW YORK — New York Mayor Eric Adams on Tuesday declined to say whether he still trusts the city’s police commissioner, days after federal agents seized the cellphones of the police department chief and at least four other high-ranking mayoral deputies.

In his first news conference since the seizures began, Adams — whose own devices were seized by FBI agents in November — acknowledged that the sudden increase in federal scrutiny “has raised a lot of questions and a lot of concerns.” He then ignored questions about whether he plans to fire Police Commissioner Edward Caban, amid a series of news reports claiming Caban is under pressure to resign.

“I have complete confidence in the New York Police Department,” Adams said when asked if he still had confidence in Caban’s leadership, noting that if there were any changes, his administration would announce them.

After testing positive for COVID-19 on Monday, Adams quarantined himself at home and spoke to reporters online for more than an hour, maintaining a sober and cautious tone, sidestepping questions about how many members of his administration had contacted federal agents or whether anyone would be relieved of their duties.

He also declined to say whether Caban was barred from communicating with federal law enforcement agencies that work closely with the nation’s largest police department.

Instead, Adams spoke at length about his background as the child of working-class parents who rose to become a New York City police captain, noting, “My whole life has been about pursuing justice, and this administration will continue to do that no matter what happens.”

The comments came six days after federal investigators seized devices from Caban, as well as from Adams’ first deputy mayor, Sheena Wright, her partner and city schools chancellor, David Banks, the mayor’s deputy for public safety, Philip Banks, who is Banks’ brother, and Timothy Pearson, one of the mayor’s closest confidants.

Wright, who took part in a virtual news conference Tuesday, said she is “fully cooperating” with the investigation.

Agents also seized devices from Terence Banks, the youngest of three Banks brothers, who runs a private consulting firm that represents companies doing business outside the city. Federal authorities are also investigating the police commissioner’s twin brother, James Cabana, who runs a security company at a nightclub, according to a person familiar with the matter. The person could not publicly discuss details of the ongoing investigation and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.

Asked Tuesday about his relationships with the two men, Adams said he has been close to the entire Banks family for years but has never met with Terence Banks to discuss city business. He said he does not know James Cabana well.

“We exchange pleasantries when we see each other, just like I do with everyone,” the mayor said.

Terence Banks’ attorney confirmed that his home was searched by the FBI but declined to comment. Calls to a number listed for James Cabana were not returned.

The latest seizures appear to have nothing to do with the investigation that led to federal agents seizing the mayor’s phones in November. That investigation, at least in part, focused on an investigation into the mayor’s foreign travel and potential ties to the Turkish government, according to a person familiar with the matter, who asked not to be identified because he was not authorized to discuss the investigation.

No one has been charged with a crime in any of the federal investigations. Both the FBI and the U.S. attorney’s office in Manhattan, which is handling some of the investigations, declined to comment.

In February, federal agents searched the home of Adams’ Asian operations director, Winnie Greco, as part of a separate investigation overseen by the Brooklyn U.S. attorney’s office.

The mayor’s former buildings commissioner, Eric Ulrich, also faces state charges for allegedly accepting bribes, while several people who donated to the mayor’s campaign were charged last year with participating in a criminal impersonation scheme.

Adams, who has not been charged with a crime, declined to say whether he would resign if charged with a crime. Instead, he said, “I am committed to completing my term as mayor of New York City and seeking re-election.”

He then referenced the upcoming anniversary of 9/11, pointing to the “determination, resolve and attitude” of New Yorkers after the attacks.

“That’s me,” Adams said. “I’m a resilient New Yorker.”