A Manhattan federal judge has dismissed New York City Mayor Eric Adams‘s criminal corruption case with prejudice.
The “with prejudice” distinction means the case cannot be brought again, even if Adams’s relationship with President Donald Trump sours in the future. Adams had been accused of engaging in a quid pro quo with the Trump administration by complying with immigration priorities in exchange for having his case dropped.
“There may or may not be good reasons to drop this prosecution. But the reasons articulated by DOJ, if taken at face value, are inconsistent with a decision to leave the charges in the Indictment hanging like the proverbial Sword of Damocles over the Mayor,” Judge Dale Ho wrote in his decision.
“If dismissal is to be granted, such dismissal should be with prejudice in order to vindicate the purposes of Rule 48(a) — most importantly, the protection of a defendant’s right to be free from prosecutorial harassment,” he added.
The Department of Justice had declined to pursue the prosecution but wished to dismiss the case without prejudice, which would allow it to be brought again later. However, an independent attorney appointed by Ho recommended it be dropped with prejudice instead last month.
The DOJ said in a statement that the case was “an example of political weaponization and a waste of resources.”
Adams responded to the case’s dismissal during an address outside Gracie Mansion, repeating that the “case should never have been brought.”
“I’m happy that our city can finally close the book on this and focus solely on the future of our great city,” he added.
The mayor emphasized that he is “solely beholden” to the residents of New York City and not to special interests or political opponents. Adams held up FBI Director Kash Patel’s book, Government Gangsters, at the end of his address.
“Read it and understand how we can never allow this to happen to another innocent American,” he said.
The decision will prevent the federal government from enforcing consequences for Adams via his corruption case if the mayor does not comply with the Trump administration’s immigration priorities.
Ho noted that the court cannot appoint an independent prosecutor or force the DOJ to prosecute Adams despite suggesting that the DOJ’s claim that “appearances of impropriety” tainted the case was “unsupported by any objective evidence.”
He added that he found no evidence of improper motives in the Southern District of New York attorney’s office, which saw top prosecutor Danielle Sassoon resign when she was compelled to try to drop the case by the DOJ.
“The record before the Court indicates that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York prosecutors who worked on this case followed all appropriate Justice Department guidelines. There is no evidence — zero — that they had any improper motives,” he wrote.
The judge suggested that the relationship between the DOJ and Adams in the case warrants scrutiny. Ho said Adams’s action to allow Immigration and Customs Enforcement to operate at the Rikers Island jail complex, “an act that appears to be contrary to New York City law,” was seemingly coerced by the new administration.
“Everything here smacks of a bargain: dismissal of the Indictment in exchange for immigration policy concessions,” he wrote.
Ho wrote that his decision came down to preventing a dismissal without prejudice that could lead to the government further influencing Adams’s decisions, as well as the fact that he could not force the DOJ to prosecute the embattled New York mayor.
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When approached by reporters following the decision, Adams declined to comment on his case. “When I get a free moment, I’ll catch you,” he said.
The Washington Examiner reached out for comment from the mayor’s office.
