Trump’s Justice Department Seeks to Dismiss Charges Against Eric Adams
The DOJ has instructed Manhattan prosecutors to drop the five-count bribery case following months of efforts from the mayor.
TroibNews 
NEW YORK — On Monday, federal prosecutors announced their intent to drop the corruption case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams, exonerating him as he campaigns for reelection in June.
Emil Bove, a senior Justice Department official, instructed the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York to pursue a dismissal of the charges against Adams, asserting in a memo that the case had “improperly interfered” with the mayor’s reelection campaign and could hinder his ability to support Trump’s immigration policy. This development was initially reported by The New York Times.
Adams has publicly supported Trump’s initiatives to deport certain undocumented migrants from the city.
If a judge approves the dismissal of all five counts against Adams, who was indicted in September, he would no longer face the threat of jail time or a trial while seeking reelection.
Nicholas Biase, a spokesperson for the Southern District, refrained from commenting on the office's next steps, while a representative for Adams confirmed the news. The mayor’s legal team interpreted the decision as evidence that the Justice Department lacked a legitimate case against him.
“As I said from the outset, the mayor is innocent—and he would prevail,” said Alex Spiro, the mayor’s attorney. “Today he has.”
This action aligns with a growing trend under President Donald Trump’s administration of dismissing politically sensitive criminal cases inherited when he returned to the White House last month. It also highlights the unusual alliance between the Republican president and the Democratic mayor—an alliance that could potentially disadvantage Adams in a Democratic primary.
“The pending prosecution has unduly restricted Mayor Adams’ ability to devote full attention and resources to the illegal immigration and violent crime that escalated under the policies of the prior administration,” Bove’s letter stated.
Bove suggested that the charges were driven by political motivations and “improperly interfered with Mayor Adams’ campaign in the 2025 mayoral election.” Adams has echoed this sentiment, sharing Trump’s assertions that former President Joe Biden weaponized the Justice Department against him due to his critiques of Biden’s migrant policies.
“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,’” Bove wrote, citing one of Trump’s executive orders.
In a Monday night interview, civil rights leader Al Sharpton stated he was reaching out to other Black elected officials and clergy to discuss the implications of this dismissal on the upcoming mayoral race.
“I think politically this is very questionable and challenging,” said Sharpton, who also hosts a show on MSNBC, expressing that Trump’s clemency raised “great pause and great concern” regarding the actions of the Adams administration on immigration.
Adams’ challengers for reelection were quick to react as well.
“If there was any doubt left, today’s news makes it clear that justice is dead in America,” state Sen. Zellnor Myrie stated. “How many more of our rights and freedoms did the Mayor give up to save his own skin?”
Adams faced indictment in September over allegations of accepting bribes from Turkish interests in exchange for official favors.
He pleaded not guilty and vigorously contested the charges leading up to a trial scheduled for April. Adams’ legal team maintained that he was unaware of any illegal contributions and that his actions concerning the new Turkish consulate—as Brooklyn borough president and the Democratic nominee for mayor—were standard constituent services.
Recently, the uncertainty surrounding Adams’ fate heightened. In the weeks prior, while Trump considered dropping the charges, Manhattan prosecutors continued to proceed with the case.
On January 5, the acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York noted that the office had evidence suggesting Adams committed crimes beyond those detailed in the indictment. Shortly thereafter, the interim Manhattan prosecutor appointed by Trump, Danielle Sassoon, submitted a letter to the presiding judge, challenging Adams’ claims of political persecution.
This dismissal requires approval from Judge Dale Ho. As previously reported by PMG, it remains unclear how much authority he has to oppose the prosecutors’ request.
While some legal experts contend that Ho’s options are limited, others believe he may have grounds to refuse entirely.
“The ‘leave of court’ requirement exists precisely to guard against the dubious, perhaps corrupt, dismissal of cases against powerful and well-connected defendants,” explained Thomas Frampton, an associate law professor at the University of Virginia.
If the case is indeed dismissed, it is conceivable that Adams may face charges again. Bove’s directive mandates a review of the case “following the November 2025 mayoral election,” with instructions for prosecutors not to “target” Adams or engage in further investigative actions during that period.
Bove also instructed the office to take measures to restore Adams’ security clearances, which can be revoked if someone is deemed susceptible to disclosing sensitive information, as reported earlier by PMG.
Adams’ portrayal of political retribution appears to resonate with Trump, who positioned both himself and Adams as victims of a politicized Biden administration and even considered the possibility of pardoning the New York City mayor.
In light of this, Adams has refrained from criticizing Trump and has sought ways to win his approval.
Following Trump’s election, the mayor met with his immigration czar, indicating that federal authorities might assist in amending local “sanctuary city” policies.
Last month, Adams traveled to Florida to dine with Trump, and shortly after, he opted to attend Trump’s inauguration instead of participating in local Martin Luther King Jr. Day events.
This alliance has drawn criticism from officials within Adams’ political base.
“Some that should be here celebrating Dr. King with us in this room have chosen to go to Washington to celebrate felon 47,” New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams—one of the city’s highest-ranking Black politicians—declared to applause at a Martin Luther King event.
As this alliance unfolded, DOJ officials began conversing about the possibility of dismissing Adams' case with Manhattan prosecutors and his legal team. Adams’ attorneys, Alex Spiro and William Burck, met with federal prosecutors in Washington D.C. on January 31, as first reported by the Times.
A representative from the White House did not respond to a request for comment.
Max Fischer contributed to this report for TROIB News
Emil Bove, a senior Justice Department official, instructed the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York to pursue a dismissal of the charges against Adams, asserting in a memo that the case had “improperly interfered” with the mayor’s reelection campaign and could hinder his ability to support Trump’s immigration policy. This development was initially reported by The New York Times.
Adams has publicly supported Trump’s initiatives to deport certain undocumented migrants from the city.
If a judge approves the dismissal of all five counts against Adams, who was indicted in September, he would no longer face the threat of jail time or a trial while seeking reelection.
Nicholas Biase, a spokesperson for the Southern District, refrained from commenting on the office's next steps, while a representative for Adams confirmed the news. The mayor’s legal team interpreted the decision as evidence that the Justice Department lacked a legitimate case against him.
“As I said from the outset, the mayor is innocent—and he would prevail,” said Alex Spiro, the mayor’s attorney. “Today he has.”
This action aligns with a growing trend under President Donald Trump’s administration of dismissing politically sensitive criminal cases inherited when he returned to the White House last month. It also highlights the unusual alliance between the Republican president and the Democratic mayor—an alliance that could potentially disadvantage Adams in a Democratic primary.
“The pending prosecution has unduly restricted Mayor Adams’ ability to devote full attention and resources to the illegal immigration and violent crime that escalated under the policies of the prior administration,” Bove’s letter stated.
Bove suggested that the charges were driven by political motivations and “improperly interfered with Mayor Adams’ campaign in the 2025 mayoral election.” Adams has echoed this sentiment, sharing Trump’s assertions that former President Joe Biden weaponized the Justice Department against him due to his critiques of Biden’s migrant policies.
“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,’” Bove wrote, citing one of Trump’s executive orders.
In a Monday night interview, civil rights leader Al Sharpton stated he was reaching out to other Black elected officials and clergy to discuss the implications of this dismissal on the upcoming mayoral race.
“I think politically this is very questionable and challenging,” said Sharpton, who also hosts a show on MSNBC, expressing that Trump’s clemency raised “great pause and great concern” regarding the actions of the Adams administration on immigration.
Adams’ challengers for reelection were quick to react as well.
“If there was any doubt left, today’s news makes it clear that justice is dead in America,” state Sen. Zellnor Myrie stated. “How many more of our rights and freedoms did the Mayor give up to save his own skin?”
Adams faced indictment in September over allegations of accepting bribes from Turkish interests in exchange for official favors.
He pleaded not guilty and vigorously contested the charges leading up to a trial scheduled for April. Adams’ legal team maintained that he was unaware of any illegal contributions and that his actions concerning the new Turkish consulate—as Brooklyn borough president and the Democratic nominee for mayor—were standard constituent services.
Recently, the uncertainty surrounding Adams’ fate heightened. In the weeks prior, while Trump considered dropping the charges, Manhattan prosecutors continued to proceed with the case.
On January 5, the acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York noted that the office had evidence suggesting Adams committed crimes beyond those detailed in the indictment. Shortly thereafter, the interim Manhattan prosecutor appointed by Trump, Danielle Sassoon, submitted a letter to the presiding judge, challenging Adams’ claims of political persecution.
This dismissal requires approval from Judge Dale Ho. As previously reported by PMG, it remains unclear how much authority he has to oppose the prosecutors’ request.
While some legal experts contend that Ho’s options are limited, others believe he may have grounds to refuse entirely.
“The ‘leave of court’ requirement exists precisely to guard against the dubious, perhaps corrupt, dismissal of cases against powerful and well-connected defendants,” explained Thomas Frampton, an associate law professor at the University of Virginia.
If the case is indeed dismissed, it is conceivable that Adams may face charges again. Bove’s directive mandates a review of the case “following the November 2025 mayoral election,” with instructions for prosecutors not to “target” Adams or engage in further investigative actions during that period.
Bove also instructed the office to take measures to restore Adams’ security clearances, which can be revoked if someone is deemed susceptible to disclosing sensitive information, as reported earlier by PMG.
Adams’ portrayal of political retribution appears to resonate with Trump, who positioned both himself and Adams as victims of a politicized Biden administration and even considered the possibility of pardoning the New York City mayor.
In light of this, Adams has refrained from criticizing Trump and has sought ways to win his approval.
Following Trump’s election, the mayor met with his immigration czar, indicating that federal authorities might assist in amending local “sanctuary city” policies.
Last month, Adams traveled to Florida to dine with Trump, and shortly after, he opted to attend Trump’s inauguration instead of participating in local Martin Luther King Jr. Day events.
This alliance has drawn criticism from officials within Adams’ political base.
“Some that should be here celebrating Dr. King with us in this room have chosen to go to Washington to celebrate felon 47,” New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams—one of the city’s highest-ranking Black politicians—declared to applause at a Martin Luther King event.
As this alliance unfolded, DOJ officials began conversing about the possibility of dismissing Adams' case with Manhattan prosecutors and his legal team. Adams’ attorneys, Alex Spiro and William Burck, met with federal prosecutors in Washington D.C. on January 31, as first reported by the Times.
A representative from the White House did not respond to a request for comment.
Max Fischer contributed to this report for TROIB News
