On Wednesday, a federal judge dismissed the corruption case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams, but without the conditions requested by the Department of Justice.
U.S. District Judge Dale Ho dismissed the case with prejudice, which means that the charges cannot be refiled at a later date.
The DOJ’s request for a dismissal without prejudice could have made the Democratic mayor vulnerable to President Donald Trump’s administration, which views Adams as an ally in its immigration crackdown.
“Dismissing the case without prejudice would create the unavoidable perception that the Mayor’s 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,” the court’s ruling states.
Prosecutors had asked for the right to bring charges again
The decision came weeks after Paul D. Clement, a court-appointed attorney, advised Ho to dismiss the indictment with prejudice.
Ho chose Clement, a solicitor general under President George W. Bush, to present arguments opposing the prosecutors’ bid to dismiss the charges, in part because Adams and the DOJ held similar positions.
In February, federal prosecutors filed a motion to dismiss Adams’ corruption charges, arguing that he cannot effectively cooperate with immigration enforcement while fighting a corruption case. However, prosecutors requested the right to file the charges again.
However, Ho wrote that the DOJ’s assertion is “unsubstantiated,” noting that Adams took at least one new immigration-related action while the indictment was pending: allowing Immigration and Customs Enforcement to operate at the Rikers Island Jail Complex, which Ho said “appears to be contrary to New York City law.”
“Everything here smacks of a bargain: dismissal of the Indictment in exchange for immigration policy concessions,” said Ho.
Adams pleaded not guilty in September
Adams pleaded not guilty in September to charges of accepting free travel and political donations from Turkish officials in exchange for actions beneficial to their country. He’s maintained his innocence.
“As I previously stated, I have never broken the law and will never do so. “I never prioritized personal gain over my solemn responsibility as your mayor,” Adams said in a video statement in mid-February. “I absolutely never traded my power as an elected official for personal benefit.”
Ho emphasized that his decision not to deny the DOJ’s motion outright does not reflect Adams’ guilt or innocence.
The judge wrote that while the court cannot compel the government to prosecute a defendant, it can “shine a light on the reasons why the DOJ has decided to dismiss this case, leaving the most important judgment to the public.”
Adams, who is running for reelection, has faced pressure to resign since the indictment. However, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul stated that she would not remove Adams from office and would instead seek to impose strict new guidelines on his administration.
