After an order from the United States (U.S.) Department of Justice (DOJ), federal prosecutors dropped corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams. The DOJ directive argued that the case was interfering with the mayor’s ability to aid in President Donald Trump’s crackdown on undocumented immigrants.
Dismissal of this case marks a long deviation from DOJ norms, where public officials of all levels of governance are often investigated — including President Trump.
Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove, in a two-page memo, directed prosecutors to dismiss the charges against Adams immediately not because of strength of evidence, but rather because the timing of the case was too close to Adam’s reelection and posed a threat to the Trump administration’s law and order priorities.
Bove ordered prosecutors not to take “additional steps” against Adams until after the mayoral elections in November, leaving the possibility that charges could be refiled in the future, pending review.
Adam’s attorney Alex Spiro reacted to the memo, stating, “Now, thankfully, the mayor and New York can put this unfortunate and misguided prosecution behind them.” Following the dismissal of the charges against Adams, multiple federal prosecutors in New York and two senior federal prosecutors in Washington have resigned.
Southern District of New York acting U.S. Attorney Danielle R. Sassoon was among those who announced their resignation. According to a letter obtained by NBC news, Sassoon expressed her concern regarding the order to drop the case.
“Adams’s attorneys repeatedly urged what amounted to a quid pro quo, indicating that Adams would be in a position to assist with Department’s enforcement priorities only if the indictment were dismissed,” wrote Sassoon.
Sassoon also wrote that her office was preparing to file additional charges against Adams “based on evidence that Adams destroyed and instructed others to destroy evidence and provide false information to the FBI.”
Following his indictment, Adams’ — a Democratic official with a centrist platform — policies have noticeably shifted right. Backtracking on his original stance not to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Adams has expressed a willingness to roll back New York’s sanctuary city policies and has also implied that the Trump administration’s agenda is better for his state than that of the Biden administration.
Several of his Democrat party opponents for the mayoral primary have accused Adams of engaging in a quid pro quo with President Trump — exchanging charge dismissal for political partnership. Both President Trump and Adam’s defense have denied these allegations.
New York City Comptroller Brad Lander — a candidate for mayor — has spoken out against Adams, stating, “Instead of standing up for New Yorkers, Adams is standing up for precisely one person.”
Also a candidate for New York mayor, State Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani called for an investigation into whether Adams cut a deal with the Trump administration “that involves breaking city law.”
Charges against Adams included allegations that while serving in his previous position as Brooklyn Borough president, he accepted illegal campaign contributions and lavish travel perks for a value exceeding $100,000.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams, in response to the charges against Adams, expressed, “By allegedly taking improper and illegal benefits from foreign nationals—including to allow a Manhattan skyscraper to open without a fire inspection—Adams put the interests of his benefactors, including a foreign official, above those of his constituents.”
The 54-page indictment alleges that Adams, for nearly a decade, “has used his prominent positions in New York City government to obtain illegal campaign contributions and luxury travel. Adams solicited and accepted these benefits from foreign nationals, businessmen, and others.”
Prosecutors say that Turkish officials helped facilitate trips for Adams in exchange for favors, asking Adams to lobby the Fire Department of New York (FDNY) to allow for the construction of a 36-story Turkish diplomatic building that violated fire safety codes.
“Adams then pressured the New York City Fire Department to facilitate the opening of a foreign government’s Manhattan skyscraper that had not passed a fire inspection. To conceal this criminal conduct, Adams took steps to hide his receipt of improper benefits from the public and law enforcement,” reads the indictment.
There is also evidence that Adams violated federal law by personally directing campaign staffers to solicit foreign donations, disguising these contributions as “nominee” or “straw” contributions. According to the indictment, this means “that the true contributors conveyed their money through nominal donors, who falsely certified they were contributing their own money.”
Adams’ overseas contributors allegedly circumvented federal laws that serve to prevent foreign influence on U.S. elections “by smuggling their contributions to Adams through U.S.-based straw donors … Wealthy individuals evaded laws designed to limit their power over elected officials by restricting the amount any one person can donate to a candidate. And businesses circumvented New York City’s ban on corporate contributions by funneling their donations through multiple employees, frustrating a law which seeks to reduce corporate power in politics.”
By accepting these “concealed, illegal donations,” Adams allegedly “increased his fundraising” and gave his “secret patrons undue influence” over his policies. Adams has pleaded not guilty, and has denied all charges insisting that these charges are politically motivated.
Federal agents have also been investigating senior aides of Adams, and prior to his indictment authorities seized phones from a police commissioner, schools chancellor, multiple deputy mayors and the mayor’s director of Asian Affairs — all of whom have denied allegations but have since resigned.
Ingris Lewis-Martin, Adam’s chief advisor and closest confidant, was indicted by the Manhattan district attorney on charges that she and her son accepted $100,000 in real estate and construction project bribes.
