Ingrid Lewis-Martin, chief advisor to Mayor Eric Adams, resigns; jury could soon vote on indictment
NEW YORK CITY (WABC) -- Ingrid Lewis-Martin, chief advisor and longtime aide to Mayor Adams, announced she is resigning from her post on Sunday.
A grand jury in Lower Manhattan has been hearing evidence against Lewis Martin and could vote on an indictment as soon as this week.
The investigation into Lewis Martin and several other people centers around the city's leasing of commercial properties. It came to light when she returned from a trip to Japan in September and her phones were seized at the airport and her Brooklyn home searched.
The investigation, by the Manhattan District Attorney's office, is separate from the ongoing federal investigation into the mayor.
"To my city: I started as a community activist and worked on many campaigns, ultimately landing at City Hall. I am a native New Yorker, and I love my city. Know that I will continue to do everything in my power to fight for this great city every day as a private citizen," said Lewis-Martin in a statement.
Adams issued his own statement about his chief advisor's resignation, saying in part, "Ingrid has not been just a friend, a confidant, and trusted advisor, but also a sister. We've always talked about when this day would come, and while we've long planned for it, it is still hard to know that Ingrid won't be right next door every day. I, and every New Yorker, owe her a debt of gratitude for her decades of service to our city."
Lewis-Martin was one of multiple aides who became ensnared in corruption investigations into Adams' administration. In September, agents raided her home and seized her electronics, joining the U.S. Justice Department in what is said to be a separate investigation into the awarding of city contracts.
Multiple agencies at the time were interested in Lewis-Martin, including the Manhattan District Attorney's Office and the Southern District of New York, the same prosecutor's office that charged the mayor with bribery, solicitation, and fraud.
Her resignation comes after other notable names previously resigned from their posts, including former NYPD commissioner Edward Caban, NYC Schools Chancellor David Banks, NYC Health Commissioner Ashwin Vasan, Public Safety Senior Advisor Tim Pearson and Chief Counsel Lisa Zornberg.
Lewis-Martin's career public service and politics started in 1983, when she volunteered at the Renaissance Development Corporation as a grant writer.
During this time, she was also working to become a public school teacher. Between 1984-1992, Lewis-Martin would serve as an educator of social studies and later the dean of students and graduation coordinator at her alma mater, I.S. 320 Jackie Robinson Intermediate School in Brooklyn.
While Lewis-Martin has worked on the campaigns of several public officials, her most recent experiences have been spent working with Adams at City Hall. She was a longtime friend of the mayor and one of his closest aides, often pictured sitting next to him at his weekly news conferences.
Prior to being appointed as Adams' chief advisor, Lewis-Martin served as the mayor's chief of staff in the New York State Senate for seven years. In this position, she played an important role in conceptualizing and implementing community programs serving the residents of Central Brooklyn.
She later went on to serve as a senior advisor during Adams' two terms as Brooklyn borough president.
Adams named Lewis-Martin as his chief advisor in January of 2022.
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