A federal judge in New York threw out corruption charges against Mayor Eric Adams for good, meaning the case cannot be brought back. This ruling, however, goes against what Donald Trump’s administration wanted, dealing a blow to their plans.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) asked the judge to dismiss the charges in a way that would allow them to reopen the case later. But Judge Dale Ho said no in a detailed 78-page decision. According to CNBC, the DOJ claimed they needed Adams to help with the administration’s immigration policies as a reason to dismiss the case in a way that left room to refile charges. Judge Ho disagreed, saying that if he allowed this, it would look like the mayor’s freedom depended on whether he went along with federal immigration rules — putting the government’s demands above what his own voters wanted.
In his order, Judge Ho called the DOJ’s reasoning unusual and troubling, raising concerns about fairness in the legal system and whether officials were getting special treatment for supporting the administration’s agenda. Per ABC, the judge made it clear his decision wasn’t about whether Adams was guilty or innocent — only about what it would mean to dismiss the case under the DOJ’s conditions.
New York mayor’s case dismissed by federal judge
Judge Ho’s ruling followed advice from court-appointed lawyer Paul Clement, who had been a top legal official under former President Bush. Clement recommended dismissing the case permanently to avoid any appearance of political influence. The timing was important, because Adams’ lawyer had pushed for a quick decision before the April 3 deadline for filing paperwork to run for mayor again, which Adams plans to do.
The charges against Adams included five criminal counts, accusing him of a 10-year scheme involving bribes, illegal campaign money, and trying to hide wrongdoing. Some of the claims said he took illegal donations for his 2021 mayoral campaign, got free luxury trips dating back to 2016 when he was Brooklyn borough president, and tried to pressure the New York City Fire Department to approve a Turkish consulate building without a proper fire inspection.
The indictment also said a Turkish official helped arrange campaign donations and cheap travel for Adams and his associates to different countries. After the charges were dropped, Adams’ lawyer praised the decision, saying the mayor was innocent all along. Meanwhile, the Trump administration faced backlash over the case. Seven federal prosecutors quit, including the acting Manhattan U.S. Attorney, who objected to the DOJ’s request to dismiss the case in a way that left it open.
Published: Apr 2, 2025 10:46 am