The hits just keep on coming in the latest potential corruption scandal to engulf the Big Apple. Granted, this is the New York City municipal government we're talking about, so rumors of corruption and illicit practices usually don't mean much beyond signifying that it's another day ending in a "Y." But somehow, this latest brouhaha just feels... different. Not much has been released to the press thus far beyond some allegations that the NYPD Commissioner and his twin brother may have been shaking down some of the larger entertainment and dining venues in Manhattan for protection money, but the number of people being engulfed in the investigation continues to grow. The latest person to head for the exits was Lisa Zornberg, the chief council for City Hall and Mayor Eric Adams. Zornberg generally operates behind the scenes and isn't exactly a household name, but given her role in the administration, this could be a very significant development. (NY Post)

Lisa Zornberg, New York City Hall’s chief counsel, is leaving her post in Eric Adams’ administration — just days after NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban resigned as the city’s top cop, she announced late Saturday.

Zornberg has served as the lead attorney for the mayor and City Hall since July 2023.

Her sudden departure comes as federal investigators have zeroed in on members of Adams’ inner circle and other allies.

For his part, Mayor Adams simply thanked Zornberg for her service, reminding everyone that "these are hard jobs" and they don't expect everyone to "stay in them forever." But Zornber has hardly been there "forever." She swept into City Hall alongside Adams last summer. If you can barely last a single year in your new position, perhaps you shouldn't have accepted the invitation in the first place.

Returning to her role in the administration, the Chief Counsel isn't typically someone who generates a lot of headlines themself. Her work is more often focused on cleaning up the various messes that Adams and his cronies leave in their wake. But that's really the point I was trying to make here. Her job is to dig the boss out of holes such as the one that appears to be opening up currently. Zornberg was primarily a "fixer" as is common in political circles. If she's packing it in this quickly, she may have recognized an issue that is beyond her ability to patch over in a tidy fashion.

That's what makes this investigation feel different than the ones we've seen embroiling the Adams administration in the past. The first news we learned about this mess was an unusual order handed down by the feds, warning the Adams administration to retain all electronic files and devices from the offices and personnel involved with the investigation into the Police Commissioner. In other words, this isn't an internal investigation being handled by City Hall that might conveniently be whitewashed away. Washington is involved, and that can spell trouble for the locals if the feds are bigfooting their way into the situation.

To the best of our knowledge, this investigation hasn't made it all the way to Eric Adams' doorstep, or at least not yet. But having already taken out the Police Commissioner (a position Adams himself once held), it's definitely very close. As we have frequently discussed over the past year, Adams has regularly found himself subjected to scrutiny over potential corruption, typically involving nepotism and partisan public support for companies seeking favors from City Hall. But if the suggestions that the former Police Commissioner and his brother have been shaking down private businesses for cash prove to be true, this could turn into a major scandal harkening back to the days of Tammany Hall. So keep those popcorn bowls full and stay tuned. This could prove to be something considerably bigger than the usual dodgy misbehavior of New York City Democrats.