A top DOJ official ordered federal prosecutors to drop the charges against the Democratic leader, according to a letter obtained by the Associated Press, arguing that it jeopardized his ability to cooperate with the Trump administration on combating illegal immigration. He also said it came too close to the 2025 mayoral primaries.
In the letter, Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove said, “There shall be no further targeting of Mayor Adams or additional investigative steps prior to that review, and you are further directed to take all steps within your power to cause Mayor Adams’s security clearances to be restored.”
The review will be carried out by the confirmed U.S. attorney in the Southern District of New York. Bove’s letter is addressed to Danielle Sassoon, the acting U.S. attorney in the district.
Bove reportedly accused the former U.S. attorney for the district, Damian Williams, of bringing the charges forward for political reasons, saying that it reflected a wider politicization of the Justice Department by the Biden administration. Williams resigned after President Donald Trump’s electoral victory.
Bove concluded his letter by saying that the dismissal wasn’t a comment on the merits of the case and that it would be reevaluated after the mayoral election.
The letter to Sassoon argued that the case had distracted Adams from his previous focus on combatting illegal immigration.
Adams was indicted on corruption charges on Sept. 26, centering on alleged favors provided for Turkish figures in exchange for money and gifts. He has pleaded not guilty.
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Adams refrained from directly criticizing Trump throughout the 2024 campaign, in stark contrast to other Democratic mayors. Following the indictment, their relationship quickly developed into a “bromance” after Trump suggested Adams’s indictment could have been politically motivated like his own. Both suggested the charges were in retaliation for his tougher stance on immigration.
Adams has hinted that he could go a step further in warming to Trump, potentially rejoining the Republican Party. In two December interviews, he avoided directly answering whether he would make the switch but said leaders should look beyond partisan affiliation.
