On Monday, the Justice Department instructed Manhattan prosecutors to drop the historic bribery charges against NYC Mayor Eric Adams, agreeing with the mayor’s stance that the allegations were politically motivated and hindered his efforts to address the migrant crisis in New York City.
The newly appointed DOJ under President Donald Trump directed the Southern District of New York to dismiss the case without prejudice, meaning the charges could potentially be refiled at a later date, according to sources.
“You are directed, as authorized by the Attorney General, to dismiss the pending charges” against Adams, Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove wrote in a letter obtained by The Post.
The letter highlights “independent reasons” for dropping the case, including that it was retaliation for Adams’ vocal criticism of the Biden administration’s handling of the migrant crisis.
“It cannot be ignored that Mayor Adams criticized the prior Administration’s immigration policies before the charges were filed, and the former US Attorney’s public actions created appearances of impropriety…”
Bove further stated that the charges had “improperly interfered with Mayor Adams’ campaign in the 2025 mayoral election” and had “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 also mentioned that “the matter shall be reviewed by the confirmed US Attorney in the Southern District of New York, following the November 2025 mayoral election.”
“There shall be no further targeting of Mayor Adams or additional investigative steps … and you are further directed to take all steps within your power to cause Mayor Adams’ security clearances to be restored,” he wrote.
This unexpected turn of events seems to mark the conclusion of the prolonged investigation into Adams’ 2021 mayoral campaign, which has cast a shadow over his first term in office.
In September, Adams was indicted for allegedly accepting bribes in the form of free or upgraded luxury travel from foreign nationals in exchange for political favors, including assisting in the expedited opening of the Turkish Consulate in Manhattan.
The dismissal of the charges follows weeks of Adams trying to align himself with Trump by refraining from criticizing the president and supporting his new immigration policies.
Adams also attended Trump’s inauguration on a late-night invitation just hours before the ceremony and flew to meet with the then-president-elect for lunch at one of his golf clubs near Mar-a-Lago.
Additionally, Adams’ attorney, Alex Spiro, had been working behind the scenes to find a way to have the case dismissed, either through a pardon or by seeking a dismissal through legal channels.
On January 31, the mayor’s defense team met with senior DOJ officials in Washington D.C.
“As I said from the outset, the mayor is innocent—and he would prevail. Today he has,” Spiro said in a statement.
“The facts of the case are clear: the mayor never used his official position for personal benefit. Nor did he have any role in violating campaign finance laws. Despite a lot of fanfare and sensational claims, ultimately there was no evidence presented that he broke any laws, ever. The witnesses that were promised never materialized. The additional charges that were threatened never came. Now, thankfully, the mayor and New York can put this unfortunate and misguided prosecution behind them.”
Now free from the looming threat of prison time, Adams can focus on what is expected to be a tough primary challenge, as several Democrats are poised to contest a vulnerable incumbent mayor.
However, the bribery case was only one of many issues that tarnished Adams’ approval ratings, including rising crime, the migrant crisis, and scandals involving close associates of the mayor who found themselves in legal trouble.
The investigation gained significant attention in November 2023 when federal agents raided the home of Adams’ top fundraiser, Brianna Suggs, forcing the mayor to return to New York City immediately after landing in Washington D.C.
Agents also conducted raids on Brooklyn-based KSK Construction and the residences of Rana Abbsova, a long-time Adams staff member, and Cenk Öcal, a former Turkish Airlines executive and a member of the mayoral transition team.
Just days later, the feds stopped Adams on the street and demanded that he hand over all his electronic devices, including a phone for which he “forgot” the password, preventing federal agents from accessing it.
On September 26, the Southern District of New York, under then-US Attorney Damian Williams, announced a historic 57-page indictment against the mayor.
For months, Spiro had attempted to convince both the Biden DOJ and the presiding judge to dismiss the case, but those efforts were unsuccessful until the recent DOJ intervention.
Adams’ defense team had long anticipated that the Trump administration would be more favorable to their case, either by granting a presidential pardon or by seeking a dismissal from the highest levels of the DOJ—despite the case beginning during Trump’s first term in 2021.
Judge Dale Ho, who has overseen the case in Manhattan federal court, will still need to sign off on the dismissal, but prosecutors have indicated they have no intention of continuing with the case.
{Matzav.com}
The city is a giant mess now. Attempting to shift the blame to others doesn’t cut it. We need BIG change ASAP.
If Adams beats the rap or not, the city still is in a state of crisis.
Whatever happened to taking responsibility, and “the buck stops here”?
The buck never stops being passed down to the next democrat Sodomite.
Acts like this won’t accomplish that goal.
We need responsibility and accountability.
I HIGHLY doubt Eric Adams bribery case is worse than briberies to judges – all over the world.
If President Trump dismissed his case, he surely knows what he’s doing.