A federal judge on Wednesday granted the Justice Department’s request to dismiss its corruption case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams but rejected the department’s bid to keep the option open to refile charges, ruling that doing so would create the appearance of political influence over law enforcement.
Adams was charged last year with bribery and campaign finance violations. He later aligned himself with President Donald Trump’s administration, fueling speculation that the Justice Department sought to drop the case in exchange for Adams’ support of federal immigration crackdowns in New York.
The Justice Department had requested the case be dismissed without prejudice, meaning prosecutors could bring charges again. In its filing, the department argued that continuing the case would interfere with Adams’ ability to govern and threaten “federal immigration initiatives and policies.”
U.S. District Judge Dale Ho questioned that rationale in his ruling, writing that allowing the case to be dismissed without prejudice would create the “unavoidable perception that the Mayor’s freedom depends on his ability to carry out the immigration enforcement priorities of the administration and that he might be more beholden to the demands of the federal government than to the wishes of his own constituents.”
Despite mounting political pressure, Adams has vowed to remain in the mayoral race. Governor Kathy Hochul has not called for his resignation.
His reelection prospects, however, remain uncertain. A recent Quinnipiac poll showed Adams’ approval rating at just 20%, trailing potential challengers such as former Governor Andrew Cuomo. While Adams believes voters will rally behind him now that the charges are dropped, his ties to Trump—who remains deeply unpopular in New York City—could complicate his campaign.
Adams has insisted that the case against him was politically motivated under President Joe Biden. Following Trump’s inauguration, Adams aligned with the administration on immigration policy, publicly supporting the deportation of undocumented migrants.
