The seismic federal probe targeting some of New York City’s top public servants appears to be a laughing matter — at least to Schools Chancellor David Banks.
Banks on Friday used his first news conference since the feds seized his phones at his Harlem townhouse to laugh off The Post’s questions about the investigation.
He refused to respond when asked about his claim that the government had assured him he wasn’t a target, and about whether he would resign like ousted NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban, whose electronics were also snatched by the feds in last week’s raids,
“I’m not responding to either of those questions, thank you,” Banks, who pockets an annual $363,346 salary said, after chuckling.
And when Banks wasn’t laughing, he stonewalled.
He pointedly rebuffed five separate queries about the federal probe that burst into public view after a stunning suite of Sept. 4 raids on several of Mayor Eric Adams’ top administration officials and allies — at least three of whom have close connections to Banks.
Feds seized electronic devices from Banks and his longtime partner First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright at their shared home. They also targeted Banks’ brothers Phil Banks, the deputy mayor for public safety, and Terence Banks, a retired MTA official who turned to consulting work.
David Banks — even as he denied the feds’ actions counted as a “raid” — acknowledged agents had seized his personal and Department of Education-issued phones during a roughly 30-minute visit early the morning before the first day of school.
“Outside of that, I don’t know a lot,” he said.
Banks refused to respond to questions about his brother Terence Banks’ lobbying firm, which had secured millions of dollars’ worth of city contracts.
Feds are eyeing whether Phil Banks steered those contracts toward the firm, sources have said.
“Those questions that you asked are specifically the question that I’m not answering, I can’t answer those questions,” David Banks said.
When asked about what kids will think reading that the chancellor had to surrender his phones, Banks professed that he has always been authentic and lived with integrity.
“Sometimes kids will be accused of things that they were not part of and have nothing to do with,” he said.
“Just because your name happens to be in a paper or connected to whatever, does not presume some level of guilt, and that is a lesson in life.”
