A federal judge on Wednesday granted the Department of Justice's motion to dismiss its corruption case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
Adams was indicted in 2024 on federal bribery and fraud charges. The charges alleged illegal activity dating back to 2014 when Adams was the Brooklyn borough president.
By 2018, when Adams announced plans to run for mayor, the indictment saied he accepted and sought illegal campaign contributions and other things of value from foreign nationals seeking influence over him. The activities allegedly continued into his time as mayor.
The DOJ under the new Trump administration said it sought a dismissal because “continuing these proceedings would interfere" with Adams' ability to govern, threatening “federal immigration initiatives and policies."
While District Court Judge Dale Ho agreed to dismiss the charges, he denied the DOJ's request for the dismissal to be "without prejudice," meaning charges cannot be refiled.
"In light of DOJ’s rationales, dismissing the case 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," Ho wrote in his ruling.
Adams has maintained his innocence.
"Let me be clear, as I've said all along, this case should have never been brought," Adams said on Wednesday. "And I did nothing wrong."
