Federal judge weighs dismissing corruption case against NYC Mayor Eric Adams
NEW YORK (WABC) -- The Justice Department's second-in-command demanded that a judge dismiss corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams, and the leader of the nation's largest city declared: "I have not committed a crime."
After scrutinizing the request for more than an hour, Manhattan federal Judge Dale E. Ho declined to rule immediately, saying he wanted to carefully review the "unusual situation." He indicated he'd make a decision soon.
"I'm not going to shoot from the hip right here on the bench," said Ho, letting out a heavy sigh as he drew the 80-minute proceeding to a close. But, he noted, "it is not in anyone's interest for this to drag on."
The mayor and prosecutors from the Department of Justice were summoned to court to explain the alleged quid pro quo between Adams and the Trump justice department.
Ho said he summoned Mayor Adams and Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove to court "because I have a few questions."
The government's motion to dismiss the mayor's corruption case brought the parties together in a "somewhat unusual situation."
Ho explained that as case law also makes clear he has a limited role. To discharge his duty properly, "I want to proceed carefully," he said.
Mayor Adams told the judge that he had consented to dismissal without prejudice, and he knew what that meant. But Judge Ho told Bove that he's "not entirely sure" he personally understands whether charges could be brought again.
"They could be in the department's discretion, yes, sir," Bove said
However, Bove added, "I don't have any plans" to bring back the case in the future.
The mayor said he understood the case could be revived after November but wasn't concerned.
"Yes, I understand that. I have not committed a crime. I don't see them bringing it back. I'm not afraid of that," Adams said.
Bove cast his decision to drop the charges against Mayor Adams as a "straightforward exercise of prosecutorial discretion."
Former US Attorney Amanda Kramer said, "The judge put Mayor Adams under oath and asked him squarely if there was a quid pro quo. He denied that there was, and the judge accepted that testimony. So the fact that he didn't rule and wants to consider what happens next is not surprising given how unusual the situation is."
Bove was forced to put on the record that the reason for dismissing the case was because it interfered with the mayor's ability to enforce the president's immigration agenda.
The mayor was later asked if he could guarantee that ICE would never enter a school or church.
"I don't have the authorization to say that under no circumstances are they going somewhere. You can't enter a school without judicial warrant unless there's exigent circumstances where something dangerous is taking place. And we're very clear on that, and they are clear on that" Adams said.
Federal prosecutors said the case is hamstringing the mayor. Bove noted that the fact that Adams was sitting to his left in the courtroom stops him from running the city or campaigning for reelection.
Additionally, the mayor's attorney Alex Spiro told the judge that his client lost some of his security clearance with the federal government when he was indicted.
Series of events leading up to the hearing
Before the hearing, Ho had already indicated that the conference was likely only an initial step when he wrote in an order Tuesday that one subject on the agenda would be a discussion of the "procedure for resolution of the motion."
Also set for discussion were the reasons for the request to dismiss the indictment against the Democrat that charges the first-term mayor with accepting over $100,000 in illegal campaign contributions and lavish travel perks from a Turkish official and business leaders seeking to buy his influence while he was Brooklyn borough president. He has pleaded not guilty.
Early last week, Bove told prosecutors in New York in a memo to drop the charges because the prosecution "has unduly restricted Mayor Adams' ability to devote full attention and resources to the illegal immigration and violent crime." He said charges could be reinstated after November's mayoral election.
Two days later, then-interim U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon wrote to Attorney General Pam Bondi, saying Bove's request to drop charges in return for assistance in enforcing federal immigration laws would betray Bondi's own words that she "will not tolerate abuses of the criminal justice process, coercive behavior, or other forms of misconduct."
"Dismissal of the indictment for no other reason than to influence Adams's mayoral decision-making would be all three," Sassoon, a Republican, said of what she called a "quid pro quo" deal as she offered to resign. She also said prosecutors were about to bring additional obstruction of justice charges against Adams.
Bove responded to Sassoon angrily, accepting her resignation and accusing her of "pursuing a politically motivated prosecution despite an express instruction to dismiss the case." He then informed her that two prosecutors assigned to the case were suspended with pay and that an investigation would determine if they keep their jobs.
If either of those prosecutors wished to comply with his directive to dismiss charges, he welcomed them to do so, but Hagan Scotten quit the following day, writing in a resignation letter that he supported Sassoon's actions.
Scotten wrote to Bove that it would take a "fool" or a "coward" to meet his demand to drop the charges, "but it was never going to be me."
Seven prosecutors, including five high-ranking prosecutors at the Justice Department in Washington, had resigned by Friday.
Since then, a small army of former prosecutors have gotten behind the defiant stand by Sassoon and other prosecutors.
Next steps for Governor Hochul
Meanwhile, Governor Kathy Hochul, who has the power to remove Adams from office, met Tuesday with key leaders as she considered the mayor's future.
Hochul is not rushing to oust her Adams, saying in a statement that no decision will be made until after the hearing.
"Governor Hochul convened a series of meetings with political, business, labor and faith leaders to discuss the future of New York City and the need for effective, responsible municipal governance. We will have no comment under after the hearing in U.S. District Court"
Hochul planned to continue meeting with elected officials and others at her office and virtually.
Adams' mayoralty spiralled into a political crisis after the Justice Department ordered prosecutors on Jan. 10 to drop the bribery and other charges against him. Adams has pleaded not guilty.
Adams has insisted he was looking out for the city's interests, not his own, in cultivating a relationship with the president.
(The Associated Press and ABC News contributed to this report.)
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