SPEAKER LOOKS TO GOV: New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams isn’t calling for Mayor Eric Adams’ resignation after his indictment, and said she’s deferring to Hochul on whether he should go. “We still maintain his right to due process, and we're going to stand right there,” the speaker said at a regularly scheduled press conference Thursday. Hochul has made it clear she wanted the mayor to make some personnel changes, which he did, Adams said. “We see the relationship between the governor and the mayor working,” Adams added. “So for now, we are going to continue to look for her guidance and her work with the mayor to keep stability on the other side of City Hall.” The City Charter allows the council to play a role in removing the mayor through what is known as an “inability committee.” But Speaker Adams said that measure is intended for physical emergencies, not situations like this one. — Jeff Coltin LOOKING FORWARD: Outgoing schools Chancellor David Banks shed light on his plans today, as he faces scrutiny over his connection to the federal probe engulfing the Adams administration. Banks, who is leaving Tuesday after Adams forced his early resignation, told parent leaders at a virtual meeting he’s been working on a book. He revealed he’s been keeping daily notes on every meeting “and everything that I do,” due to advice he received from former schools Chancellor Joel Klein, who worked for ex-Mayor Michael Bloomberg. “When I reflect back on the themes that have emerged since I’ve been here, I’m going to capture all of that into a story, and that story will ultimately be the same way that I will plan on sharing as I go forward,” Banks said. “I’m not done in this work, I’m just done in this particular role.” In 2014, he wrote a book about a network of schools he helped establish that serve young boys of color. Adams recently joked that they will both write about the “unprecedented challenges” they faced in their respective roles. Banks’ did not address Adams — who pleaded not guilty last month to federal bribery and corruption charges — speeding up his departure. But his latest remarks are a sign he may be more vocal about his experiences, including with his longtime friend. His wife, First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright, also posted on Instagram about having “stories to tell.” Agents seized Banks’ phones in connection to an investigation into the role of his consultant brother Terence Banks’ firm in a potential bribery scheme involving city contracts. The chancellor is also hosting a conference on his last day on artificial intelligence at the headquarters of the city’s teachers union. — Madina Toure
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