New York City Mayor Eric Adams' corruption case was permanently dismissed to avoid any "perception" that the Trump administration was using the case as leverage.
Judge Dale Ho, who was appointed by former President Joe Biden, dismissed the case against Adams with prejudice Wednesday morning, meaning the case cannot be brought back against Adams in the future, Craig McCarthy, a journalist with the New York Post reported.
BREAKING: Judge Dale Ho has dismissed the historic corruption case against Eric Adams with prejudice — meaning the case is done for good, breaking with Trump DOJ, which wanted ability to bring case back in futurehttps://t.co/MwbdmTBFIn pic.twitter.com/nIOZUXl4Kq
— Craig McCarthy (@createcraig) April 2, 2025
"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 the ruling, shared by McCarthy.
The Trump administration had previously requested that Adams' case be dropped without prejudice so that it could possibly be revisited at a later date. However, Ho took issue with this, saying that it created a lack of trust among the public.
Ho also asserted that there is "no evidence" to suggest that prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York had any "improper motives," dismissing other arguments that charges had been brought against Adams for personal motives. He also argued against claims that Adams' trial interfered with the upcoming mayoral election.
"There is no evidence—zero—that they had any improper motives," the judge continues, attacking the argument the SDNY brought the case based on personal vendettas or future gains pic.twitter.com/5mbO12AFIU
— Craig McCarthy (@createcraig) April 2, 2025
"As for the immigration enforcement rationale, to the extent that DOJ suggests that Mayor Adams is unable to assist with immigration enforcement while this case is ongoing, such an assertion is similarly unsubstantiated," Ho wrote in the ruling.
The Justice Department's directive to drop the case had previously sparked intense backlash both in professional spaces and online. Several attorneys, including acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Danielle Sassoon, resigned in protest, NPR reported.
Shortly after the Justice Department's request, Adams and Border Czar Tom Homan announced a partnership to help roll out the Trump administration's immigration enforcement policies in New York City.
Sassoon, as well as several others, accused Adams of "quid pro quo," alleging that he had agreed to cooperate with the Trump administration in exchange for getting his corruption case dismissed. Adams has continuously denied these allegations.
Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul decided against removing Adams from office, despite several lawmakers pleading to her to do so.
In September 2024, Adams was charged with bribery and fraud, among other charges. He pleaded not guilty.
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