NEW YORK (AP) — A federal judge has called off the corruption trial for New York City Mayor Eric Adams. The judge, Dale E. Ho, has also brought in legal counsel to help weigh the Justice Department’s controversial request to drop the charges against him.
Judge Ho will decide by mid-March whether to accept this dismissal. He has appointed Paul Clement, a former U.S. solicitor general, to argue the case for the court. The judge mentioned that a lack of opposing arguments in a recent hearing made it important to have Clement assist in this unusual situation.
At that hearing, Acting Deputy U.S. Attorney General Emil Bove explained why they believe the charges should be dropped. He suggested that because the charges are close to Adams’ reelection campaign, they could distract him from helping with the Trump administration’s initiatives.
Adams, who confirmed he was aware that charges could be reinstated later, is facing multiple challengers in the upcoming Democratic primary. He was indicted in September for allegedly accepting over $100,000 in illegal campaign contributions while serving as Brooklyn borough president. Adams has denied any wrongdoing and pleaded not guilty.
Judge Ho has asked for clarity on the legal standards for dismissing such charges, especially concerning materials that may impact his decision. He set a deadline for briefs to be submitted by March 7 and scheduled a possible oral argument for March 14.
Legal experts are closely watching this case. Some are concerned that the mayor could escape prosecution if he supports the Trump administration’s immigration policies. Three former U.S. attorneys have written to Ho to advocate for hearing from others besides the government and the defendant regarding next steps.
Adams’ attorney, Alex Spiro, has asserted that the indictment is weak and has urged the judge to dismiss the charges based on the available evidence.
Interestingly, the judge confirmed that Adams would not need to attend future hearings. This could help the mayor manage his public image as he navigates this political turmoil. Recently, four of his top aides resigned, adding to the strain on his administration. In light of this, Governor Kathy Hochul has decided against removing him from office for now, but she intends to propose legislation to increase state oversight of the city government.
Bove’s initial request to drop the charges was previously denied by then-interim U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon, leading to her resignation. She accused Bove of linking the dismissal of charges to Adams’ assistance in immigration issues. Seven prosecutors, including five from the Justice Department, resigned in protest of this request.
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New York City, Eric Adams, Donald Trump, Indictments, Dale E. Ho, Kathy Hochul, Pam Bondi, Corruption, U.S. Department of Justice, General news, AP Top News, New York City Wire, NY State Wire, Carl Tobias, Emil Bove, Politics, George W. Bush, Hagan Scotten, Paul Clement, U.S. news, Alex Spiro, Danielle Sassoon, United States government, Legal proceedings
