The US Justice Department has instructed federal prosecutors to discontinue their corruption investigation involving New York City Mayor Eric Adams. This directive originated from Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove, who was appointed by former President Donald Trump. Bove stated that the indictment had significantly constrained the mayor’s capacity to tackle pressing issues such as “illegal immigration and violent crime” in New York City.
Mayor Adams, a member of the Democratic Party, has recently fostered a closer relationship with Trump, a Republican. He has encouraged local law enforcement to collaborate with federal authorities during immigration raids. However, he refutes any claims of discussing his legal troubles with Trump.
Details of the Case
The allegations against Mayor Adams include accusations of accepting illicit campaign contributions and gifts in exchange for favors associated with his role as mayor. He has pleaded not guilty to five charges related to these allegations.
As of now, prosecutors have not provided any updates regarding their intentions to comply with the Justice Department’s recommendations. Any decision to dismiss the charges must be formally submitted to the court and approved by a judge.
“You are directed, as authorised by the attorney general, to dismiss the pending charges,” read the memo from Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove.
The memo indicates that the case might undergo further review following the mayoral election scheduled for November 2025, but specifies that no additional investigative actions should proceed in the interim.
Additionally, Bove’s memo instructed prosecutors to “take all steps within your power to cause Mayor Adams’ security clearance to be restored.” In his correspondence, Bove, who previously served as Trump’s defense attorney during a criminal trial, clarified that the Justice Department arrived at this decision without evaluating the evidence’s strength or the legal principles underlying the case.
“This move in no way calls into question the integrity and efforts” of the prosecutors involved, Bove asserted. The memo followed a reported meeting between Adams’ legal team and federal prosecutors in New York.
Political Context
Recently, Mayor Adams attended the presidential inauguration and traveled to Florida for a meeting with Trump. Over the past few weeks, the 64-year-old mayor has directed city law enforcement to assist federal immigration authorities amid new raids in New York City. Critics have argued that this stance contravenes local sanctuary city laws, which instruct city officials not to cooperate with immigration authorities except when targeting dangerous criminals.
Before the election, Trump claimed that both he and Adams had faced “persecution” for opposing the immigration policies of Trump’s predecessor, Joe Biden. In the Justice Department’s memo, it was noted that “it cannot be ignored that Mayor Adams criticized the prior administration’s immigration policies before the charges were filed.” The 57-page indictment against the mayor, issued in September, alleges that Adams accepted illegal gifts exceeding $100,000 from Turkish citizens and at least one government official. In return, it is claimed that Turkish officials sought favors from the mayor, including assistance in bypassing safety regulations for opening a consulate in New York.
Legal expert Professor Stephen Gillers from New York University Law School criticized Bove’s memo, labeling it as “a baseless and offensive slur against the former US attorney and the lawyers who worked on the Adams case.” In response, Adams’ attorney expressed satisfaction with the outcome, stating, “As I said from the outset, the mayor is innocent – and he would prevail. Today he has,” said Alex Spiro.