A U.S. judge opted for caution Wednesday, delaying a decision on a Justice Department request to drop corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams. The request, made under orders from a Trump-appointed official, has fueled accusations of political interference, intensifying the already heated atmosphere surrounding the case.
Federal prosecutors had charged Adams last year under the Biden administration, accusing him of accepting bribes and campaign contributions from Turkish nationals. But now, Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove, a Trump ally and former personal defense attorney to the former president, is pushing to dismiss the charges—while leaving the door open for the case to be revived later.
Bove argued that the case is distracting Adams from aiding Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration. However, the move has sparked fierce opposition from Justice Department officials, several of whom resigned in protest over what they called blatant political meddling.
A Judge in No Rush
During a 90-minute hearing, U.S. District Judge Dale Ho acknowledged that his discretion was limited—legal precedent heavily favors prosecutors when they decide to drop a case. But Ho made it clear he wasn’t going to rubber-stamp the request without due consideration.
“To exercise my discretion properly, I’m not going to shoot from the hip right here from the bench,” Ho said.
Adams Remains Defiant
Adams, who is seeking reelection, walked into the packed courtroom accompanied by his longtime pastor, Reverend Herbert Daughtry. Outside, a small but vocal group of protesters greeted him with chants of “Eric Adams—time to go.”
Inside, when pressed by the judge, Adams dismissed concerns about the possibility of the charges resurfacing.
“I’m not afraid of that,” he stated, maintaining that he had done nothing wrong.
Meanwhile, Governor Kathy Hochul, who has the authority to remove Adams from office, acknowledged the turbulence but stopped short of suggesting any immediate action.
“There is a path forward to make sure we stabilize this city and its government,” Hochul said.
A Legal and Political Storm
At the heart of the controversy is whether Adams, a Democrat, is being leveraged by Trump’s administration. Critics argue that dropping the charges makes him beholden to the White House, especially as Trump accelerates his immigration policies.
Bove, however, dismissed concerns about a backroom deal, even suggesting that a direct exchange—dropping charges in return for cooperation—wouldn’t necessarily be improper.
“I don’t think it’s correct that even if there was a quid pro quo, there would be an issue with this motion,” Bove told the court.
Adams’ legal team has also denied any such arrangement.
With the judge opting to deliberate rather than issue an immediate ruling, the case now sits in limbo, caught between the legal system and a political storm.
