Schools Chancellor David Banks dodged questions today about his connection to a federal probe into his brother’s consulting firm — an investigation exploring the firm’s role in an alleged bribery scheme involving city contracts. Banks revealed that federal agents visited the home he shares with his romantic partner, First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright, for 30 minutes last week. They seized his personal and city-issued cellphones and are still in possession of his devices, he said. He also said his lawyers have insisted he’s “absolutely not a target.” “I always live my life with integrity, every day,” Banks told reporters at what is ordinarily a routine briefing at the DOE headquarters in Lower Manhattan. “Anybody who knows me knows that. My staff knows it, the folks who I’ve worked with for many, many years know that as well.” It was the first such press conference of the new school year and marked the chancellor’s most extensive public remarks since the early-morning raid on his Harlem house last week. Agents also seized the devices of his brothers — Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Philip Banks and Terence Banks, a former Metropolitan Transportation Authority official. Terence Banks, whose company website has been taken down, reportedly represented a tech company looking for contracts with the DOE. The chancellor refused to shed light on whether he brought Terence into meetings or encouraged his lobbying career, or contacted Mayor Eric Adams after last week’s raid. He declined to state whether he’d step down — as Police Commissioner Edward Caban did amid a federal investigation engulfing his deputies and brother — if the FBI confirmed he’s not the target. “I’m not responding to either one of those questions,” he said, chuckling. His press secretary tried to block a question about whether other education officials’ phones were seized, but a DOE official later confirmed no other devices were taken. The Daily News reported Thursday that disgraced Bill de Blasio donor Jona Rechnitz treated David and Terence Banks to luxury suite tickets to an October 2013 Jets football game. Rechnitz was sentenced to five years in prison after he was accused of attempting to bribe NYPD officials. Neither David nor Terence were working in government at the time. But their ties to the corrupt businessman raises eyebrows amid the current probe. Banks wouldn’t say whether the feds approached him about the game. “I saw a picture in the paper today about a football game that I went to 11 years ago,” he said. “It speaks for itself.” Banks sought to distance himself from the review. Asked what he would say to students who see the news, he said: "Sometimes your name may be associated with something, it doesn't mean that it had anything to do with you at all." But he conceded that “nobody wants to see any family member going through stuff or having your name in the papers for all kinds of issues,” and added, “I love my brothers.” The FBI’s inquiry is one of several federal probes into members of Adams’ inner circle. It comes at a time of uncertainty for the administration, as the mayor faces reelection next year. | 
