The U.S. Justice Department has directed federal prosecutors in New York to drop the bribery case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
The decision was communicated in a letter on Monday by Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove. However, it is unclear how Danielle Sassoon, the Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, will respond.
Mayor Adams had been facing five federal charges, accused of accepting luxury travel gifts over several years in exchange for helping approve the opening of the new Turkish consulate in Manhattan. Inspectors had raised safety concerns, but Adams allegedly influenced the fire department’s decision to allow the opening. Despite these allegations, Adams has maintained his innocence and pleaded not guilty. His trial was set to begin on April 21.
Justice Department’s Reason for Dropping the Case
According to sources, the Justice Department did not evaluate the strength of the evidence before making this decision. Instead, the letter from Bove questioned the timing of the charges, suggesting the case might have been politically motivated under the Biden administration.
Additionally, Bove noted that the case was negatively impacting Mayor Adams’ ability to assist the Trump administration with its immigration policies. As a result, prosecutors were instructed to dismiss the charges without prejudice. This means the case could potentially be reopened in the future, but not until after the upcoming mayoral election.
Any formal dismissal of the case would need to be filed in court and approved by a judge.
Reactions to the Decision
Mayor Adams’ defense attorney, Alex Spiro, celebrated the decision, stating, “The mayor is innocent, and he would have won the case. Now, he can move forward.” He added that the Justice Department had re-evaluated the case and realized it should not proceed.
Adams has recently spent time with former President Donald Trump, including attending his inauguration and meeting with him in Florida. Trump has expressed support for Adams, saying the mayor was treated unfairly and even suggested he might consider a pardon if necessary.
Elected in 2021, Adams made history as the first sitting New York City mayor to ever face federal criminal charges. However, with this latest decision, he is now free from prosecution—at least for now.
