Judge dismisses corruption case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams
A federal judge dismissed New York City Mayor Eric Adams鈥� corruption case on Wednesday, acquiescing to the Justice Department's extraordinary request to set aside criminal charges so the Democrat could help with President Donald Trump鈥檚 immigration crackdown.
The judge, though, denied prosecutors the ability to potentially bring the criminal case back after the mayoral election. Judge Dale E. Ho鈥檚 order to dismiss the case 鈥渨ith prejudice鈥� spares Adams from having to govern in a way that pleases Trump, or potentially risk having the Republican's Justice Department revive the charges.
鈥淚n light of DOJ鈥檚 rationales, dismissing the case without prejudice would create the unavoidable perception that the Mayor鈥檚 freedom depends on his ability to carry out the immigration enforcement priorities of the administration, and that he might be more beholden to the demands of the federal government than to the wishes of his own constituents,鈥� the judge wrote.
鈥淭o be clear, the Court again emphasizes that it does not express any opinion as to the merits of the case or whether the prosecution of Mayor Adams 鈥榮hould鈥� move forward," Ho wrote.
Ho acknowledged that his power in this situation was limited, writing that courts cannot 鈥渇orce the Department of Justice to prosecute a defendant.鈥�
鈥淭hat is by design. In our constitutional system of separation of powers, a court鈥檚 role in a criminal case is to preside over the matter 鈥� not to decide whether the defendant should be prosecuted,鈥� he wrote.
Ho鈥檚 decision came just days after Adams鈥� attorney urged the judge to issue a ruling in the case, noting that Adams has a busy reelection campaign ahead and was nearing a deadline to submit petitions to get on the city鈥檚 primary ballot. It follows a legal drama that roiled the Justice Department, created turmoil in City Hall and left Adams鈥� mayoralty hanging by a thread amid questions about his political independence and ability to govern.
Several prosecutors in New York and Washington resigned rather than carry out the Justice Department's directive to drop the case against Adams. Gov. Kathy Hochul, a fellow Democrat, pondered whether to remove Adams from office but decided instead to propose new oversight for city government.
At a Feb. 19 hearing, Adams told Ho: 鈥淚 have not committed a crime.鈥�
Adams had pleaded not guilty to bribery and other charges after a 2024 indictment accused him of accepting illegal campaign contributions and travel discounts from a Turkish official and others 鈥� and returning the favors by, among other things, helping Turkey open a diplomatic building without passing fire inspections.
The case, brought during President Joe Biden's administration, was on track for an April trial until Trump鈥檚 Justice Department moved to drop it. Ho delayed the trial and appointed former U.S. Solicitor General Paul Clement to assist him in deciding what to do.
The Justice Department had wanted the option to revive the case in the fall. Adams鈥� lawyers wanted it gone for good.
In a written submission on March 7, Clement told Ho he had no choice under the law but to dismiss the case. But he recommended that the judge reject the Justice Department鈥檚 request to be able to refile them after this year鈥檚 mayoral election, which would leave 鈥渁 prospect that hangs like the proverbial Sword of Damocles over the accused.鈥�
The decision comes with three months to go until a Democratic primary that is likely to chose the city's next mayor.
Adams faces a large field of challengers, including former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and several Democrats who say he鈥檚 now too indebted to Trump for New Yorkers to be sure he鈥檒l prioritize their interests. Adams has said he's 鈥渟olely beholden to the 8.3 million New Yorkers that I represent, and I will always put this city first.鈥�
As recently as Jan. 6, the assistant U.S. attorneys in New York who were prosecuting Adams wrote in court papers that they continued to 鈥渦ncover additional criminal conduct by Adams.鈥� But a month later, their new superiors in Washington decided to abandon the case.
In court filings and a hearing, acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove has said he was "particularly concerned about the impact of the prosecution on Mayor Adams鈥� ability to support鈥� Trump鈥檚 immigration objectives. Bove also has questioned the prior administration鈥檚 motives in pursuing Adams, who had criticized then-President Joe Biden鈥檚 handling of an influx of migrants.
The Trump administration鈥檚 acting U.S. attorney in New York, Danielle Sassoon, resisted Bove鈥檚 order, saying she couldn鈥檛 defend a dismissal linked to political considerations.
Sassoon and several other career prosecutors and supervisors of public corruption cases quit rather than follow Bove鈥檚 order. Bove put other New York-based prosecutors involved in the Adams case on a paid leave.
Bove and two senior Justice Department lawyers ultimately signed court papers requesting a dismissal with the option to refile the charges after the November election.
After four of Adams鈥� top deputies at City Hall decided to resign, Hochul briefly considered taking the unprecedented step of ousting a New York City mayor. She ultimately concluded it would be undemocratic and disruptive to do so.
Adams, a retired police captain and former state lawmaker and Brooklyn official, was elected in 2021 as a centrist Democrat in one of the United States鈥� liberal strongholds. But since his indictment in September, Adams has cultivated a warmer relationship with Trump, telling his staff not to criticize the president publicly and making media appearances with administration officials.
Adams insists that just he鈥檚 looking out for the city by having a working relationship with the administration.
