Ocasio-Cortez Calls for Adams’ Resignation Amid Federal Investigations

U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Wednesday became the first nationally prominent Democrat to call for New York City Mayor Eric Adams to resign, citing escalating federal criminal investigations into his administration and a series of high-profile departures of top city officials.

“I do not see how Mayor Adams can continue governing New York City,” Ocasio-Cortez wrote on the social platform X. “The flood of resignations and vacancies are threatening government function. Nonstop investigations will make it impossible to recruit and retain a qualified administration. For the good of the city, he should resign,” she said.

Adams, also a Democrat, responded with scorn. “For anyone who self-righteously claims people charged with serious crimes should not be in jail to now say that the second Black mayor of New York should resign because of rumors and innuendo — without even a single charge being filed — is the height of hypocrisy,” he said in a statement. “I am leading this city to protect it from exactly that kind of phony politics. The people of this city elected me to fight for them, and I will stay and fight no matter what,” he continued.

Neither Adams nor any of his staff under investigation have been charged with a crime. However, the string of federal probes and resignations has raised serious concerns about the mayor’s ability to effectively govern.

While Adams’ longtime critics have called on him to leave office, top Democrats in the state have largely been silent about the investigations or have offered general support for the mayor. U.S. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, the top Democrat in the House, said he believed Adams was “working as hard as he can to be the best mayor possible.”

The recent wave of departures includes the city’s former police commissioner, Edward Caban, who resigned after federal agents seized devices belonging to him and his twin brother. The head of New York City’s public schools system, David Banks, also announced his intention to retire by the end of the year after his devices were seized by investigators. The mayor’s top legal advisor, Lisa Zornberg, resigned this month, saying she could “no longer effectively serve” in her position.

The city’s health commissioner, Dr. Ashwin Vasan, announced Monday that he would step down early next year, saying his decision was unrelated to the investigations.