A federal judge in New York has ordered attorneys for the Justice Department and Mayor Eric Adams to appear in court on Wednesday. The hearing aims to address the DOJ’s controversial decision to drop corruption charges against Adams following allegations of a quid pro quo arrangement between the mayor and the Trump administration.
U.S. District Judge Dale E. Ho issued the order after former Watergate prosecutor Nathaniel Akerman called for the court to reject the DOJ’s dismissal motion, Akerman also urged the appointment of a special counsel to investigate the case.
In a six-page letter, Akerman argued that dropping the case was “not in the public interest” and suggested that it was part of a corrupt bargain, he claimed that internal DOJ documents show Adams agreed to assist the Trump administration’s immigration policies in exchange for having the charges dropped.
The case against Adams, initially filed in September 2024, included bribery, wire fraud, and conspiracy charges linked to Turkish donations to his campaign. The trial was set for April before the DOJ intervened.
Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove, a former defense lawyer for Donald Trump, instructed prosecutors to dismiss the case on February 10, 2025. In his memo, Bove stated that the decision was not based on evidence or legal merits but on concerns over the prosecution’s potential interference with Adams’ mayoral campaign.
The directive led to outrage within the DOJ, prompting several resignations, acting U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon was the first to step down. In her resignation letter, she accused Bove of pushing for the case’s dismissal in return for Adams’ cooperation in cracking down on illegal immigration.
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Sassoon further revealed details of a January 31, 2025, meeting between Bove, Adams’ attorney Alex Spiro, and members of the prosecution team.
According to her, Adams’ lawyers suggested that the mayor’s willingness to assist with Trump’s policies depended on the charges being dismissed.
Despite these claims, Spiro denied any wrongdoing, asserting that the dismissal was justified because the case was weak.
Judge Ho’s latest order requires both parties to clarify the reasons behind the DOJ’s motion and Adams’ written consent.
The court proceedings on Wednesday could provide critical insight into whether political interference played a role in the case’s dismissal.
