One day after his former chief adviser was indicted in a new bribery scandal, New York City Mayor Eric Adams insisted the district attorney gave him an all-clear.
Still full of swagger, Adams offered a thumbs up as he faced the public Friday after the damning corruption indictment of Ingrid Lewis-Martin.
“The district attorney’s office indicated that in no way am I involved,” he said.
It was a full court press. First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro, a former federal prosecutor, called the charges “ancient conduct of people who are no longer in government.”
“We have not always gotten it right, but we have never stopped being dedicated to the people of this city,” Adams said.
Adams also made it clear he has no intention of letting the charges against Lewis-Martin stop him from seeking reelection.
“On the campaign trail, I’m going to continue to tell my story and allow you to make the right choices. I’ve committed my life to this city,” he said.
NYC mayoral candidates pile on Adams
Adams’ opponents in the mayor’s race were not easily swayed, however.
While the mayor attacked Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani for being too young to run the city, the Democratic nominee embraced his youth.
“One virtue of being 33 years old is I don’t have a 40-year-old relationship with someone that I owe favors to in the manner that we’ve seen with Mayor Adams and his closest aide, who’s now being accused of accepting tens of thousands of dollars in bribes,” Mamdani said.
Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who is running as an independent, called it “city for sale.”
“That, Marcia, plays to the worst cynicism and skepticism about government,” he told CBS News New York political reporter Marcia Kramer.
Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa offered a detailed anti-corruption plan that includes kicking lobbyists out of City Hall.
“We need to strengthen the Department of Investigation. We need to give them more funding. We need them to give more lawyers. They need to be independent and autonomous of the mayor. There needs to be complete transparency,” Sliwa said.
He added, “It’s very incestuous, getting wined, dined and pocket-lined. That ends.”
Adams’ former top adviser indicted on additional bribery charges
Former advisor to the NYC Mayor Eric Adams Ingrid Lewis-Martin arrives at Manhattan criminal court on Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025, in New York.
Olga Fedorova / AP
Lewis-Martin is accused of steering contracts, fast-tracking permits and influencing the city’s Department of Transportation in exchange for favors while serving as chief adviser to the mayor.
She appeared in court Thursday and pleaded not guilty to eight new counts against her. She was previously arrested last December on bribery, conspiracy and money laundering charges.
Lewis-Martin’s attorney released a statement, calling the new indictments “a distortion of the truth.”
“Her only so-called ‘offense’ was fulfilling her duty—helping fellow citizens navigate the City’s outdated and often overwhelming bureaucracy. At no point did she receive a single dollar or any personal benefit for her assistance,” said attorney Arthur Aidala.
Mayor stands by Lewis-Martin
Adams has called Lewis-Martin a sister, and the longtime confidant worked alongside him for decades.
“Ingrid is like a sister to me. I love Ingrid. She’s worked with me for over 40 years. I served as a police officer with her husband. I know her son, and I know her and I know her heart,” Adams said Friday. “My prayers are with Ingrid, and I wish her the best and throughout the number of years that I have known her, I’ve found her to be a hard-working, dedicated member of city government for over 40 years.”
“While Ingrid Lewis-Martin no longer works for this administration, she has been a friend and colleague of the mayor for over 40 years, and he knows her as a devoted public servant; she has declared her innocence, and his prayers are with her and her family,” a spokesperson for the mayor’s reelection campaign said Thursday.
The spokesperson pointed out that Adams has not been accused of any wrongdoing, and prosecutors say he is not a target of the investigation.
Meanwhile, Winnie Greco, another former staffer, is also caught up in scandal for allegedly handing a journalist an envelope of cash stuffed inside a bag of potato chips Wednesday. A spokesperson for the campaign said Greco “holds no position in the campaign and has been suspended from all volunteer campaign-related activities.”
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