Listen To Story Above
New York City Mayor Eric Adams is seeking to permanently dismiss the corruption charges against him, citing alleged prosecutorial misconduct as the basis for his request.
According to Bloomberg, Adams’ attorney Alex Spiro has petitioned U.S. District Judge Dale Ho to dismiss the case “with prejudice,” which would prevent the same criminal charges from being filed again. The request stems from a February 12 letter by former interim U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon, who alleged the Justice Department negotiated a deal with Adams in exchange for his backing of President Donald Trump’s policies.
Spiro contends that Sassoon’s letter represents misconduct that violates both court rules and internal department protocols, warranting a permanent termination of the proceedings.
https://twiitter.com/Famekom/status/1894828148942102734
“For the avoidance of doubt, Mayor Adams knowingly consented to the government’s motion to dismiss this case without prejudice,” Spiro said in the letter, Bloomberg reported. “But the recent government leaks provide this court with an independent and more-than-sufficient basis to dismiss this prosecution due to the irreparable prejudice to Mayor Adams’s rights.”
The Justice Department had previously requested a dismissal “without prejudice” in early February, indicating that Trump’s nominee for U.S. attorney in the Southern District of New York, former SEC Chair Jay Clayton, would review the case. This move triggered multiple resignations within the DOJ and mayor’s office, including Sassoon’s departure, amid suggestions of a quid pro quo arrangement linking the dismissal to Adams’ agreement to enforce Trump’s immigration policies – an allegation Adams denies.
During a 90-minute hearing, Judge Ho reserved judgment on the matter, calling for “patience” in what he described as a “somewhat unusual situation.” While acknowledging that swift resolution would benefit all parties, Ho emphasized his commitment to careful consideration rather than hasty decision-making.
Whoa! Mayor Eric Adams just filed his own motion to dismiss his federal case. He says the leaked Danielle Sassoon resignation letter prejudiced him.
He wants the case dropped WITH PREJUDICE — meaning the Trump Admin couldn’t hang the charges over his head. pic.twitter.com/EnDfgmmGp1
— Erik Uebelacker (@Uebey) February 26, 2025
Acting deputy Attorney General Emil Bove appeared solo before the judge, defending his office’s position by arguing the dismissal would allow Adams to concentrate on “protecting the city.” To assist in his decision-making process, Ho announced the appointment of Paul Clement from Clement & Murphy PLLC as an outside counsel to present counterarguments to the prosecution’s dismissal request.
Adams has maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings, entering a not guilty plea to federal bribery charges and strongly denying accusations that he accepted international travel, campaign contributions, and other benefits from foreign entities seeking to leverage his influence.
