FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
To read Citizens Union’s analysis, click here
New York, NY (January 24, 2025) – Citizens Union today published an analysis revealing that the number of senior City officials indicted or resigning under investigation in the three years since Mayor Eric Adams took office is double the combined totals across the Dinkins, Giuliani, Bloomberg, and de Blasio administrations.
“New Yorkers deserve a transparent, ethical government they can trust to act in the best interests of the city,” said Betsy Gotbaum, Executive Director of Citizens Union. “The surge in misconduct at the highest levels of City Hall is deeply troubling. While everyone is entitled to the presumption of innocence, the sheer number of investigations into senior City Hall staffers should alarm all New Yorkers. When trust in government erodes, so does our democracy.”
Since 2022, three senior City Hall officials have been indicted, including Mayor Adams, who in 2024 became the first sitting Mayor of New York City to be charged with a federal crime. Seven additional officials have resigned while under investigation since the start of the Adams administration.
In contrast, between 1990 and 2021, only three senior officials were indicted, and two resigned while under investigation across the Dinkins, Giuliani, Bloomberg, and de Blasio administrations. This dramatic spike in ethical misconduct under the current administration raises urgent concerns about the state of transparency and accountability in New York City government.
The analysis excludes instances of ethical misconduct or conflicts of interest where no formal law enforcement inquiry has been reported, focusing solely on cases involving federal or state prosecution or investigations leading to resignation.
This troubling trend coincides with a broader surge in high-level ethical misconduct in New York City, underscoring the urgent need for reforms to the City’s ethics laws, conflict-of-interest rules, and appointment procedures for senior officials. In 2025, lawmakers, policymakers, and the two charter revision commissions—one created by the mayor and the other by the City Council—have a pivotal opportunity to implement these critical reforms.
“The findings in our analysis should be a wake-up call for all New Yorkers,” said John Avlon, Chairman of Citizens Union’s Board of Directors. “The recent pattern of indictments and resignations surrounding City Hall is not remotely normal and it erodes public trust. It is essential that the city’s leaders prioritize accountability and implement the ethical reforms needed to restore faith in the integrity of New York City government.”
The analysis comes at a critical moment for New York City. Federal and state prosecutors are currently pursuing multiple high-profile corruption cases involving City leadership, including a federal bribery trial against Mayor Adams scheduled for April. Compounding the stakes, we now have a new presidential administration in Washington with a contentious stance on the rule of law. Additionally, New York City will hold citywide elections where every elected office, including the mayoralty, will be on the ballot.
The findings emphasize the urgent need for stronger ethics oversight and enforcement to rebuild public confidence. Citizens Union has consistently advocated for systemic reforms to strengthen ethics laws and hold public officials accountable.
About Citizens Union
For over 125 years, Citizens Union has been a force for reform, accountability, and ethics in New York City and State government. A nonpartisan organization, our current priorities include advocating for moving local elections to even-numbered years to boost voter turnout, strengthening ethics oversight and enforcement, and ensuring a judicious Charter Revision process. Learn more at www.citizensunion.org.
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