DOJ moves to have NYC Mayor Eric Adams' charges dropped
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Mayor Eric Adams on Jan. 30 in New York City. Photo: Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images
The Trump Department of Justice asked prosecutors Monday to drop federal charges against indicted New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D), a source familiar with the matter confirmed.
The big picture: Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove requested the corruption case involving bribery and fraud charges against the first NYC mayor to be indicted while serving in office be dismissed without prejudice "as soon as is practicable."
- Trump has said he would consider pardoning Adams, who's denied any wrongdoing and has resisted pressure to resign.
Driving the news: The memo, first shared by the New York Post and addressed to the acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, says the decision to dismiss the charges was not based on the strength of the case against Adams.
- Bove wrote the case could interfere with the mayor's November reelection bid and has "unduly restricted" Adams' ability to "devote full attention and resources to the illegal immigration and violent crime that has escalated under the policies of the prior Administration."
- Bove's request is subject to conditions, including a review after November's mayoral election.
Catch up quick: Adams was indicted in September on five counts following a months-long federal investigation into allegations that his campaign illegally conspired with Turkish officials and wealthy foreign businesspeople to collect donations.
- Among the charges were two counts of solicitation of a contribution by a foreign national in relation to allegations stemming from 2014, when Adams was elected Brooklyn Borough president, through to his 2021 mayoral campaign.
- The mayor has pleaded not guilty to all charges and the case brought by the DOJ was scheduled to go to trial in the spring.
Zoom in: Adams was accused of accepting illegal campaign contributions from foreign individuals who were courting favor with him via straw donors in the U.S., per the indictment.
- Prosecutors accused Adams of accepting illegal travel perks worth over $100,000 from Turkish citizens and at least one official from Turkey's government.
- They alleged a diplomat from Turkey asked him to pressure the NYC Fire Department to open a Turkish consular skyscraper without an inspection.
- Another allegation was that a Turkish official messaged an Adams aide to "repeatedly" ask for assurances that the mayor would not make any statement about the Armenian Genocide on its remembrance day. The staffer confirmed Adams would not put out a statement, prosecutors alleged.
What they're saying: Adams' attorney, Alex Spiro, said in an emailed statement to Axios the DOJ has reevaluated the case and found good reason to stop it from moving forward.
- "As I said from the outset, the mayor is innocent — and he would prevail," Spiro wrote. "Today he has."
- He added: "Now, thankfully, the mayor and New York can put this unfortunate and misguided prosecution behind them."
The DOJ did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment Monday evening.
- Nicholas Biase, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York, declined to comment.
Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.
Axios' Rebecca Falconer contributed reporting.
More from Axios:
