By Jeff Colton
Ingrid Lewis-Martin, who engineered Eric Adams’ rise from police captain to mayor of the nation’s largest city, is abruptly resigning from City Hall.
Her departure, which takes effect immediately, comes at a precarious time for the mayor: He is heading to trial for a five-count federal indictment to which he pleaded not guilty, and is up for reelection next year. Lewis-Martin herself is being eyed by local law enforcement in a separate matter.
Prosecutors from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office have presented evidence about her to a grand jury, and could bring an indictment as soon as this week, The New York Times reported Sunday, after this story was initially published.
Few, if any, have been as close and loyal to the enigmatic mayor as the Brooklyn-based chaplain, whose husband was his friend in the NYPD.
“Ingrid has not been just a friend, a confidant, and trusted adviser, but also a sister,” Adams said in a statement to POLITICO. “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.”
Lewis-Martin, who is 63, said she will retire and spend time with family. She is not expected to work on Adams’ reelection campaign.
Lewis–Martin has served as chief adviser to the mayor since Adams became mayor in 2022. Though she only oversees appointments and human resources, her title and closeness to Adams has afforded her substantial power to work on issues throughout the administration.
And while she rankled some with her tough style and feuded with a cadre of newer aides who soared through the ranks, she also served as a closer on several critical matters, including striking a deal with the building service workers union over trash set-out times. She also helped finalize major rezonings.
Lewis-Martin’s departure is sudden.
Sunday is her last day, and she will not be returning to work Monday, Deputy Mayor for Communications Fabien Levy said. But her resignation is not unexpected — she has been talking about leaving since before the administration’s legal troubles.
