US Justice Department Orders Dropping of Corruption Case Against NYC Mayor Eric Adams

Federal prosecutors have been instructed by the US Justice Department to abandon their corruption case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams.

This directive was issued by the acting deputy attorney general, a Trump appointee, who claimed that the indictment was hindering the mayor’s ability to tackle issues like illegal immigration and violent crime in the city.

Mayor Adams, a Democrat, has recently fostered a closer relationship with Trump, a Republican, even instructing law enforcement to align with Trump’s immigration policies. However, Adams maintains he hasn’t discussed his case with Trump.

Accusations against the mayor include accepting illicit campaign contributions and gifts in return for leveraging his mayoral influence. Adams has declared himself not guilty on all five charges.

Prosecutors have yet to state whether they will comply with the directive to drop the case. Any decision to do so must be presented to the court and endorsed by a judge.

“Following authorization from the attorney general, you are instructed to withdraw the active charges,” reads the memo from Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove.

The memo also mentions revisiting the case after the November 2025 mayoral election, advising against any additional “investigative steps” until then.

Prosecutors are also urged to “do everything possible to reinstate Mayor Adams’ security clearance.”

Bove, who defended Trump in his criminal trial the prior year, asserted that the justice department reached this decision without evaluating the evidence or legal arguments supporting the case.

He stressed that this decision does not “question the integrity or effort” of the prosecutors involved with the case.

The memo was issued following reports of meetings between Adams’ legal team and federal prosecutors in New York.

Mayor Adams recently attended Trump’s presidential inauguration and traveled to Florida for a meeting with Trump.

Lately, the mayor, aged 64, has directed city officials to cooperate with federal immigration authorities, opposing local sanctuary city policies that restrict such cooperation unless targeting dangerous suspects.

Before the election, Trump and Adams both spoke out, feeling “persecuted” for opposing immigration policies from Trump’s predecessor, Joe Biden.

The justice department memo acknowledges that “Mayor Adams’ prior criticisms of the former administration’s immigration policies cannot be overlooked.”

The September indictment accuses Adams of receiving over $100,000 in illicit gifts from Turkish nationals and a government official.

Prosecutors assert that these Turkish officials sought favors from the mayor, such as assistance in bypassing safety regulations to establish a consulate in New York.

Stephen Gillers, a legal ethics professor at New York University, told NBC News that Bove’s directive to drop the case was “an unwarranted and offensive attack on the former US attorney and the legal team involved.”

Conversely, Adams’ attorney labeled it a victory, saying, “As I’ve maintained, the mayor was innocent all along – and has been vindicated today,” Alex Spiro commented.

The justice department’s decision to put the brakes on corruption charges against Adams coincided with Trump ordering a halt on enforcing an anti-bribery law for US businesses dealing with foreign governments.