Seismic Federal Investigation Targeting some of New York City’s top public servants appears to be a laughing matter — at least it is to Schools Chancellor David Banks.
Banks on Friday held his first news conference since taking charge of the federal government. confiscated his phone He laughed off The Post’s questions about the investigation into his Harlem townhouse.
He declined to answer when asked about his claim that the government had assured him he was not a target, and whether he would resign like ousted NYPD Commissioner Edward Cabán, whose electronics were also taken by federal authorities in last week’s raid.
“I'm not answering any of those questions, thank you,” Banks, who earns a salary of $363,346 a year, said with a laugh.
And when Banks wasn't laughing, he voiced his dissent.
He pointedly brushed off five separate questions about the federal investigation that became public after a surprise Sept. 4 raid on several top administration officials and aides to Mayor Eric Adams — at least three of whom have close ties to Banks.
The feds seized electronic devices from the home shared by Banks and his longtime partner, First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright. They also targeted Banks’ brothers, Phil Banks, who is deputy mayor for public safety, and Terrence Banks, a retired MTA official who has started consulting work.
David Banks — though he denied that the federal authorities’ actions counted as a “raid” — acknowledged that agents confiscated his personal and Education Department-issued phones during a roughly 30-minute visit early in the morning on the first day of school.
“Other than that, I don't know much,” he said.
Banks declined to answer questions about his brother Terrence Banks' lobbying firm, which had secured millions of dollars worth of city contracts.
According to sources, the Fed is looking at whether Phil Banks directed those contracts to the firm.
“The questions that you've asked, those are specifically questions that I'm not answering, I can't answer those questions,” David Banks said.
When asked what kids would think reading that the Chancellor had to surrender his phones, Banks said he has always been authentic and lived his life with integrity.
“Sometimes kids are accused of things they were not a part of and had nothing to do with,” he said.
“Just because your name is in a newspaper or associated with something doesn’t mean you have any guilt, and that’s a lesson in life.”
