2 weeks Ago By NY Daily News
NEW YORK — The Justice Department on Monday night told federal prosecutors in Mayor Eric Adams’ corruption case to drop the charges against him — an astonishing move that immediately sparked political backlash. It comes after Adams has fostered a close working relationship with President Donald Trump in recent weeks, visiting him near Mar-a-Lago last month ahead of his inauguration — which Adams attended — and refusing to publicly criticize him. On Monday, the mayor directed his employees to do the same out of fear New York City could be stripped of federal funding, according to sources.
Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, a frequent critic of the mayor, said Adams sold out New Yorkers and “sidestepped that system using the privilege and power that so few people have access to.” “This is obscene and obvious — the White House doesn’t want to lose their deputy in New York City,” Williams said. In the DOJ memo, acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove directed the head of the Southern District of New York to dismiss the charges against Adams “as soon as is practicable.
” Bove wrote that the case needs to be dropped in part so Adams can better focus on carrying out Trump’s immigration policies in New York. “We are particularly concerned about the impact of the prosecution on Mayor Adams’ ability to support critical, ongoing federal efforts ‘to protect the American people from the disastrous effects of unlawful mass migration and resettlement’ as described in Executive Order 14165,” the memo says. The mayor was indicted in September on charges he solicited and accepted bribes and illegal campaign contributions in exchange for carrying out political favors for the Turkish government.
His trial was scheduled for April. “If there was any doubt left, today’s news makes it clear that justice is dead in America,” Zellnor Myrie, a state senator and New York City mayoral candidate said in a statement. “The decision by Trump’s Department of Justice to drop charges against Eric Adams should outrage every single New Yorker.
” Trump has expressed sympathy for Adams’ legal troubles several times. At the Al Smith dinner in October, the then-candidate told the mayor he was “gonna win.” The mayor’s attempts at working his way into Trump’s circle have drawn concerns that he’s compromised as a leader.
Councilman Justin Brannan said Adams is now “beholden” to Trump, who has been promising mass deportations and slashed federal funding. “Let’s be clear, this case wasn’t dropped because of the merits or the facts. It was dropped because Eric Adams kissed Trump’s ring,” said Brannan, once an Adams ally.
“And we wonder why everyday working people think the system is rigged against them and only serves the powerful and the well connected.” The New York Civil Liberties Union said the move to dismiss Adams’ charges “runs roughshod over any notion of independent justice and the rule of law.” “By dismissing the charges without prejudice, the Trump administration retains the option to refile charges and keeps open a channel to exert political pressure,” the organization said.
“By giving ground to Trump’s cruel immigration designs, Adams is betraying our communities. New Yorkers must wonder whether the mayor’s personal interests and the city’s are now in indefinite conflict.” State Sen.
Jessica Ramos, who is also running for mayor, slammed Adams as the “worst mayor in NYC history” on X, and Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani ripped Adams for “his shameless effort to avoid legal accountability for corruption and sell out the city he swore to serve.” “Today, (Adams) instructed his top officials not to criticize Donald Trump. And now we know why,” Brad Lander, the city’s comptroller and a mayoral candidate, wrote on social media.
“Instead of standing up for New Yorkers, Mayor Adams is standing up for precisely one person — and that’s himself.” Scott Stringer, another candidate for mayor, said in a statement that “the only New Yorker breathing a sigh of relief tonight is Eric Adams. The rest of us are facing unaffordable housing and child care costs and rising crime and disorder.
But thankfully, New Yorkers — not the president — get to decide who is mayor next year.” _____.
