CABAN TO BOW OUT: NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban is expected to resign his post in the coming days, following news of a federal investigation involving possible corruption, four people familiar with the matter told POLITICO. Caban was scheduled to meet with police brass Monday, as he weighs a decision that is not entirely his to make, according to two people who were granted anonymity to speak freely about a sensitive matter. As of this afternoon, he had not officially resigned. “We remain focused on ensuring New Yorkers are safe every single day, and that’s our top priority,” City Hall spokesperson Fabien Levy said. “We’re not going to speculate on rumors at this point.” Adding to the tension around City Hall, Mayor Eric Adams canceled two public appearances today, after testing positive for COVID this afternoon, Levy told Playbook. Levy said Adams took a test after he held a storm resiliency press conference in Queens early this afternoon, and that he is continuing to work from his official residence, Gracie Mansion. The mayor typically stands by embattled aides, and brushed aside a question about Caban at the press conference. "Rumors are always out there," Adams said. "There was nothing that came from me that fed those rumors." However, when the mayor was asked if he could guarantee Caban would still be the police commissioner in two months, he declined to do so. “I don't think anything in life is guaranteed," he said. The move would mark the first staff shakeup in the upper ranks of Adams’ administration since federal investigators last week descended upon the homes of several top city officials. They also seized Caban’s phone and requested phones from the police commissioner’s twin brother, James, the commissioner’s chief of staff and Deputy Inspector Robert Gault, among others, POLITICO reported. Caban has faced some pressure since then. Both the conservative New York Post editorial board — which has been friendly to Adams — and progressive City Council Member Lincoln Restler, a mayoral adversary, have called on the police commissioner to resign in recent days. But pressure to resign had not yet reached a boiling point. Council Speaker Adrienne Adams declined to comment today. And Sunday, Council Public Safety Chair Yusef Salaam told Playbook he didn’t want to rush to judge. The Adams administration tried to portray business-as-usual today. Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Phil Banks, who has major influence over the NYPD, also had federal agents execute a search warrant at his home last week. Banks was seen walking out of City Hall Monday afternoon. He declined to comment. — With reporting from Sally Goldenberg, Michael Gartland, Joe Anuta and Emily Ngo |