Eric Adams’ Chief and Longest-Serving Aide, Ingrid Lewis-Martin, Steps Down
She has demonstrated unwavering loyalty to the mayor, often engaging in disagreements with other staff members, and recently, her phone was confiscated by investigators.
TroibNews 
NEW YORK — Ingrid Lewis-Martin, a key architect of Eric Adams' journey from police captain to the mayor of New York City, has unexpectedly resigned from her position at City Hall.
Her departure, effective immediately, comes at a challenging juncture for Adams, who is set to stand trial on a five-count federal indictment after pleading not guilty and is preparing for reelection next year. Additionally, Lewis-Martin is under scrutiny from local law enforcement in a separate investigation.
Few have exhibited the loyalty and closeness to the enigmatic mayor like Lewis-Martin, a chaplain based in Brooklyn, whose husband was a friend of Adams during their days 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 PMG. “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.”
At 63, Lewis-Martin has announced that she intends to retire and dedicate more time to her family. She is not anticipated to play a role in Adams’ reelection campaign.
Serving as the mayor's chief adviser since Adams took office in 2022, Lewis-Martin had oversight of appointments and human resources. Despite her limited formal duties, her title and close relationship with the mayor equipped her with significant influence across various administrative issues.
While some found her direct approach challenging and she faced off with a group of newer aides who quickly advanced, she was instrumental in resolving critical matters, such as negotiating a deal with the building service workers union regarding trash set-out times and finalizing major rezonings.
Lewis-Martin’s exit is sudden, with Sunday marking her final day of work, as confirmed by Deputy Mayor for Communications Fabien Levy. However, her resignation was anticipated; she had been expressing her intention to leave before the current legal issues faced by the administration.
On a radio show in September, she mentioned being prepared to retire in the second week of January but indicated that Adams' indictment and ongoing investigations might lead her to stay longer — “because I’m going to be with my brother.”
Her resignation follows a series of departures from City Hall over the last three months involving top officials who have faced criminal inquiries, none of whom have been charged.
In September, officials from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office confiscated Lewis-Martin’s phones and conducted a raid on her home just as she returned from a vacation in Japan accompanied by a lobbyist and other city officials. Federal investigators from the Southern District of New York were also present to issue her a subpoena.
Lewis-Martin's attorney, Arthur Aidala, refrained from commenting on the dual investigations. She has not been accused of any wrongdoing, and details of the inquiries remain undisclosed. Jesse Hamilton, who oversees the city’s real estate portfolio and is friends with Lewis-Martin, also had his phone taken at the airport during the same incident.
Lewis-Martin and Adams have had a friendship dating back to the 1980s, stemming from her husband's connections in the police academy. Active in Brooklyn politics, she provided crucial support when Adams sought a state Senate position in 2006 and has since been his primary political adviser through various roles, including his tenure in the Legislature, as Brooklyn borough president, and now as mayor.
In her statement, Lewis-Martin expressed gratitude to Adams “for seeing in me things that I did not see in myself.”
“I extend humble gratitude to you for encouraging me to be my authentic self and for having my back during some trying times,” she said. “As you would say, this has been a good ride; I will use author’s license and say that this has been an amazing ride.”
Lucas Dupont contributed to this report for TROIB News
Her departure, effective immediately, comes at a challenging juncture for Adams, who is set to stand trial on a five-count federal indictment after pleading not guilty and is preparing for reelection next year. Additionally, Lewis-Martin is under scrutiny from local law enforcement in a separate investigation.
Few have exhibited the loyalty and closeness to the enigmatic mayor like Lewis-Martin, a chaplain based in Brooklyn, whose husband was a friend of Adams during their days 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 PMG. “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.”
At 63, Lewis-Martin has announced that she intends to retire and dedicate more time to her family. She is not anticipated to play a role in Adams’ reelection campaign.
Serving as the mayor's chief adviser since Adams took office in 2022, Lewis-Martin had oversight of appointments and human resources. Despite her limited formal duties, her title and close relationship with the mayor equipped her with significant influence across various administrative issues.
While some found her direct approach challenging and she faced off with a group of newer aides who quickly advanced, she was instrumental in resolving critical matters, such as negotiating a deal with the building service workers union regarding trash set-out times and finalizing major rezonings.
Lewis-Martin’s exit is sudden, with Sunday marking her final day of work, as confirmed by Deputy Mayor for Communications Fabien Levy. However, her resignation was anticipated; she had been expressing her intention to leave before the current legal issues faced by the administration.
On a radio show in September, she mentioned being prepared to retire in the second week of January but indicated that Adams' indictment and ongoing investigations might lead her to stay longer — “because I’m going to be with my brother.”
Her resignation follows a series of departures from City Hall over the last three months involving top officials who have faced criminal inquiries, none of whom have been charged.
In September, officials from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office confiscated Lewis-Martin’s phones and conducted a raid on her home just as she returned from a vacation in Japan accompanied by a lobbyist and other city officials. Federal investigators from the Southern District of New York were also present to issue her a subpoena.
Lewis-Martin's attorney, Arthur Aidala, refrained from commenting on the dual investigations. She has not been accused of any wrongdoing, and details of the inquiries remain undisclosed. Jesse Hamilton, who oversees the city’s real estate portfolio and is friends with Lewis-Martin, also had his phone taken at the airport during the same incident.
Lewis-Martin and Adams have had a friendship dating back to the 1980s, stemming from her husband's connections in the police academy. Active in Brooklyn politics, she provided crucial support when Adams sought a state Senate position in 2006 and has since been his primary political adviser through various roles, including his tenure in the Legislature, as Brooklyn borough president, and now as mayor.
In her statement, Lewis-Martin expressed gratitude to Adams “for seeing in me things that I did not see in myself.”
“I extend humble gratitude to you for encouraging me to be my authentic self and for having my back during some trying times,” she said. “As you would say, this has been a good ride; I will use author’s license and say that this has been an amazing ride.”
Lucas Dupont contributed to this report for TROIB News
