|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
DOJ Officials Discuss Dropping Corruption Case Against Mayor Adams Amid Trump’s Immigration Push
Edited by: Fern Sidman
Senior Justice Department officials under President Donald Trump have engaged in discussions with federal prosecutors in Manhattan about potentially dropping the corruption case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams, according to a report on Wednesday in The New York Times. This development raises significant political and legal questions, given that Mayor Adams, a Democrat, has been facing bribery and fraud charges while simultaneously strengthening his ties with the Trump administration.
According to the information provided in The New York Times report, the Justice Department officials have not only conferred with Manhattan prosecutors but have also been in contact with Mayor Adams’s legal team since Trump took office. The mayor’s defense is being led by Alex Spiro, a high-profile attorney known for representing Elon Musk, who is both the world’s wealthiest individual and one of President Trump’s closest advisers. The involvement of Spiro adds another layer of political intrigue, especially as Trump has publicly voiced his discontent with the case against Adams, even suggesting that he might consider issuing a pardon.
President Trump retains the authority to pardon Adams, which could serve as a strategic move to secure the mayor’s support in implementing mass deportations. The New York Times report indicated that in December, Trump expressed his view that Adams had been treated “pretty unfairly” by federal prosecutors, a statement that fueled speculation about a possible intervention in the case. However, dropping the charges entirely—rather than issuing a presidential pardon—could be politically advantageous for both Trump and Adams. It would allow the mayor to continue asserting his innocence while sparing Trump from accusations of favoritism.
Spiro has pointed out to Justice Department officials that Trump has already criticized the case, implying that dropping the prosecution would align with the president’s public stance. Furthermore, the report in The New York Times revealed that Spiro has suggested that if Adams remains under indictment, he would be less likely to cooperate with Trump’s aggressive immigration enforcement policies. These arguments highlight the political leverage at play, with Adams potentially positioned as a key figure in the implementation of Trump’s agenda in New York City.
Meetings between Justice Department officials in Washington, Manhattan prosecutors, and Mayor Adams’s legal team are expected to take place as soon as this week, The New York Times report said. The outcomes of these discussions could have profound implications not only for Adams’s political future but also for Trump’s broader immigration strategy. At present, neither Spiro nor Adams has responded to media inquiries regarding the case.
Adams was indicted in September on charges of bribery, fraud, and soliciting illegal foreign campaign contributions, following an investigation that began in 2021. As per The New York Times report, the mayor has maintained his innocence, arguing that the prosecution is politically motivated, rooted in his outspoken criticism of the Biden administration’s handling of the migrant crisis. However, federal prosecutors have strongly denied this claim, insisting that the case is based purely on legal grounds rather than political retaliation.
In recent weeks, Adams has moved closer to Trump politically, a shift that The New York Times has documented extensively. The mayor not only attended Trump’s inauguration but also held a private meeting with the president-elect near Mar-a-Lago. Furthermore, sources close to Adams have indicated that he and Trump have been in direct communication for weeks, speaking on the phone and fostering a working relationship. At their recent meeting in West Palm Beach, they reportedly did not discuss a potential pardon, but Adams’s newfound alliance with Trump signals a major shift in his political positioning.
According to the report in The New York Times, the Southern District of New York (SDNY), the office responsible for prosecuting the case, has remained silent on the matter. A spokesperson for the office, which has a long-standing reputation for independence, declined to comment. The office is currently being led on an interim basis by veteran prosecutor Danielle R. Sassoon, who was appointed during the Trump administration.
Mayor Adams, who is seeking re-election this year, governs a so-called sanctuary city—one of several local jurisdictions that offer protections to undocumented immigrants. The Trump administration has intensified its crackdown on such cities, with the Justice Department playing a leading role in enforcing new immigration policies, as was noted in The New York Times report. The discussions surrounding Adams’s case are occurring at a time when the administration is pressuring local officials to comply with its aggressive deportation agenda. Notably, Emil Bove, the acting deputy attorney general, has threatened to prosecute officials who interfere with federal immigration enforcement, a move that further complicates Adams’s legal and political position.
Todd Blanche, President Trump’s nominee for deputy attorney general, has not been involved in these discussions. Blanche, a former federal prosecutor from the Southern District of New York, previously served as Trump’s personal lawyer in multiple criminal cases. However, The New York Times report noted that since he has yet to undergo the Senate confirmation process, his influence on departmental decisions remains uncertain. The key communications between Manhattan prosecutors and Adams’s defense team have instead gone through Bove, who has a history of working alongside Blanche on Trump’s legal matters.
Wile it is not uncommon for Justice Department leaders in Washington to discuss high-profile cases with SDNY prosecutors, the timing of these discussions is highly unusual. The conversations are taking place before Trump’s nominees for attorney general and U.S. attorney in Manhattan—Pam Bondi and Jay Clayton, respectively—have been confirmed. The New York Times report said that this raises concerns about whether the interim officials currently managing the Justice Department are attempting to expedite a decision before the new leadership is officially in place.
Additionally, in major legal cases, defense attorneys often lobby senior Justice Department officials to scale back or drop prosecutions. However, the report in The New York Times said that what makes the Adams case particularly noteworthy is that these discussions are happening at a time when the Justice Department is undergoing significant personnel and policy changes. The department is currently being run by a skeleton crew of Trump appointees, and the transition in leadership has led to internal upheaval. Earlier this week, the head of the department’s public integrity section resigned rather than accept a reassignment to an unrelated position, drawing attention to the turmoil within the agency.
For SDNY prosecutors, the stakes are exceptionally high. As The New York Times report noted, if senior Justice Department officials order Sassoon to drop the case and she refuses, she may face a difficult choice between resigning or being dismissed. On the other hand, if she—or her eventual successor—complies with the order, Adams could use the case’s dismissal to bolster his re-election campaign, claiming it as proof that the charges were politically motivated from the outset.
Adding to the uncertainty, The New York Times has revealed that federal prosecutors have continued to build their case against Adams. In December, his defense team disclosed in court filings that prosecutors had presented new evidence to a grand jury, suggesting that additional charges could be forthcoming—either against the mayor himself, his associates, or both. Earlier this month, prosecutors stated in another court filing that they had “uncovered additional criminal conduct by Adams” and identified “additional individuals involved,” further hinting at the possibility of new indictments. However, the filing did not provide specific details regarding the newly discovered evidence.
This case is unfolding against a broader backdrop of shifts within the Justice Department under President Trump. As The New York Times has documented, federal prosecutors have already moved to halt several ongoing cases, including one involving a Texas surgeon accused of unlawfully obtaining private medical information about minors receiving gender-transition care, and another concerning Jeffrey Fortenberry, a former Republican congressman from Nebraska who was facing a second trial related to campaign finance violations. These actions have fueled concerns that legal decisions are being influenced by political considerations.
