Eric Adams Faces Pressure to Remove Top Aide and Close Friend Amid Federal Investigations
Federal agents have recently confiscated the cell phone belonging to adviser Timothy Pearson.
TroibNews 
NEW YORK — Calls are mounting for Mayor Eric Adams to dismiss Timothy Pearson, his close aide and friend, amidst a growing corruption scandal.
Sources close to the situation reveal that various members of Adams' team have suggested he remove Pearson, with three sources speaking under the condition of anonymity due to the delicate nature of the issue.
One of the five advisors, Chief Counsel Lisa Zornberg, reportedly stepped down after Adams ignored her counsel to fire Pearson among others, as first reported by The Daily News.
Further intensifying calls for action, a New York Post editorial recently advocated for Pearson’s dismissal. This comes after the Post had previously suggested the dismissal of NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban on September 5. According to reports, Adams had a confidential meeting with Caban shortly afterwards, leading to Caban's resignation on September 12.
Federal agents are investigating Pearson, having confiscated his phone as part of a wider corruption investigation. The probe looks into, among other issues, the business dealings of relatives of Caban and Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Phil Banks, and their potential benefits from connections with city government figures.
Pearson has been embroiled in various controversies, including an alleged assault at a migrant shelter and multiple sexual harassment lawsuits.
Despite the ongoing criticism and advice from his advisors, Adams has shown a strong loyalty to his aides, a trait that sometimes exasperates those around him. He tends to resist public pressure against figures like Pearson.
City Hall has not yet responded to inquiries regarding the situation.
Pearson and Mayor Adams share a long-standing relationship dating back to their time at the NYPD, where Pearson served as Adams' commanding officer. “NYPD is a brotherhood. It’s a bond,” said Frank Carone, former City Hall Chief of Staff to PMG in 2023, likening their bond to that of teammates on a championship football team.
Pearson, who is a prominent advisor to the mayor and earns over $240,000 annually, has been controversial for the administration. The New York Times previously reported that he had been simultaneously working at City Hall and collecting a salary from a security position at Resorts World in Queens. This was during a period when the casino was vying for a gambling license.
Though Pearson resigned from his casino role shortly after the report, he continued another arrangement with the city's semi-independent Economic Development Corporation, which allowed him to retain his $124,000 annual police pension along with his salary.
Operating largely behind the scenes, Pearson has significant control over the city’s asylum-seeker operations and manages lucrative contracts. Earlier, PMG reported suspicions of him delaying the opening of a migrant facility to negotiate a security contract for a political contributor.
Additionally, Pearson oversees an office focused on municipal service quality control created by Adams. In this role, he faces allegations from four separate lawsuits claiming sexual harassment and professional retaliation.
Pearson's attorney, John Flannery of Wilson Elser, has stated that Pearson denies the allegations in the lawsuits.
Although City Hall has chosen to fund Pearson’s legal defense, this decision faced criticism for appearing to show favoritism, as typically, city employees must cover their own legal costs in similar situations. This issue contributed to the departure of Law Department leader Sylvia Hinds-Radix, according to PMG.
Recent events have seen further allegations against Pearson for misusing his authority at a migrant facility, threatening security personnel, and subsequently having them arrested, as reported by the New York Times.
Alejandro Jose Martinez for TROIB News
Sources close to the situation reveal that various members of Adams' team have suggested he remove Pearson, with three sources speaking under the condition of anonymity due to the delicate nature of the issue.
One of the five advisors, Chief Counsel Lisa Zornberg, reportedly stepped down after Adams ignored her counsel to fire Pearson among others, as first reported by The Daily News.
Further intensifying calls for action, a New York Post editorial recently advocated for Pearson’s dismissal. This comes after the Post had previously suggested the dismissal of NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban on September 5. According to reports, Adams had a confidential meeting with Caban shortly afterwards, leading to Caban's resignation on September 12.
Federal agents are investigating Pearson, having confiscated his phone as part of a wider corruption investigation. The probe looks into, among other issues, the business dealings of relatives of Caban and Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Phil Banks, and their potential benefits from connections with city government figures.
Pearson has been embroiled in various controversies, including an alleged assault at a migrant shelter and multiple sexual harassment lawsuits.
Despite the ongoing criticism and advice from his advisors, Adams has shown a strong loyalty to his aides, a trait that sometimes exasperates those around him. He tends to resist public pressure against figures like Pearson.
City Hall has not yet responded to inquiries regarding the situation.
Pearson and Mayor Adams share a long-standing relationship dating back to their time at the NYPD, where Pearson served as Adams' commanding officer. “NYPD is a brotherhood. It’s a bond,” said Frank Carone, former City Hall Chief of Staff to PMG in 2023, likening their bond to that of teammates on a championship football team.
Pearson, who is a prominent advisor to the mayor and earns over $240,000 annually, has been controversial for the administration. The New York Times previously reported that he had been simultaneously working at City Hall and collecting a salary from a security position at Resorts World in Queens. This was during a period when the casino was vying for a gambling license.
Though Pearson resigned from his casino role shortly after the report, he continued another arrangement with the city's semi-independent Economic Development Corporation, which allowed him to retain his $124,000 annual police pension along with his salary.
Operating largely behind the scenes, Pearson has significant control over the city’s asylum-seeker operations and manages lucrative contracts. Earlier, PMG reported suspicions of him delaying the opening of a migrant facility to negotiate a security contract for a political contributor.
Additionally, Pearson oversees an office focused on municipal service quality control created by Adams. In this role, he faces allegations from four separate lawsuits claiming sexual harassment and professional retaliation.
Pearson's attorney, John Flannery of Wilson Elser, has stated that Pearson denies the allegations in the lawsuits.
Although City Hall has chosen to fund Pearson’s legal defense, this decision faced criticism for appearing to show favoritism, as typically, city employees must cover their own legal costs in similar situations. This issue contributed to the departure of Law Department leader Sylvia Hinds-Radix, according to PMG.
Recent events have seen further allegations against Pearson for misusing his authority at a migrant facility, threatening security personnel, and subsequently having them arrested, as reported by the New York Times.
Alejandro Jose Martinez for TROIB News
