NEW YORK: The Justice Department on Monday (Feb 10) directed federal prosecutors in New York to drop corruption charges against New York Mayor Eric Adams, an extraordinary intervention by a political appointee of President Donald Trump in a high-profile criminal case.
In a memo seen by Reuters, Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove told the US Attorney’s office in Manhattan, which brought the charges, to dismiss the case as soon as practical.
Bove wrote that Adams’ indictment in September 2024 improperly interfered with his 2025 mayoral re-election campaign. For the dismissal, Adams must sign an agreement that the charges could potentially be brought again in the future, Bove said.
Nicholas Biase, a spokesperson for the Manhattan US Attorney’s office, declined to comment. Adams’ lawyer Alex Spiro did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Prosecutors have not yet indicated to the judge overseeing the case, US District Judge Dale Ho in Manhattan, that they plan to drop the case, court records showed on Monday evening.
Adams in September was hit with a five-count indictment charging him with accepting travel perks from Turkish officials and political donations from foreigners in exchange for taking actions to benefit Türkiye.
Adams pleaded not guilty. His trial is scheduled to start on Apr 21, ahead of the Democratic primary in June for the New York City mayor’s race. Adams faces several primary challengers.
Adams, 64, has argued he was unfairly targeted by the Biden administration because he criticised its immigration policy.
Both Adams and Biden are Democrats. While they were once close allies, Adams in 2022 began calling on Washington to boost funding to the largest US city to deal with an influx of migrants.
The charges were brought in September under former Manhattan US Attorney Damian Williams, a Biden appointee.
Trump, a Republican, has expressed sympathy for Adams. In December, before his inauguration, Trump said he would consider pardoning the mayor. The president is cracking down on illegal immigration and stepping up deportations.
