New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who is running for re-election, is free to take a victory lap this week after news broke that a federal judge moved to dismiss his corruption case on Wednesday, April 2.
“My fellow New Yorkers, today finally marks the end of this chapter,” said Adams in a brief address held at Gracie Mansion.
“As you have heard … the judge has dismissed it with prejudice. Making it clear that it can never be brought back. Let me be clear, as I’ve said all along, this case should have never been brought and I did nothing wrong. I’m now happy that our city can finally close the book on this and focus solely on the future of our great city.”
Adams earnestly thanked his high-profile attorney, Alex Spiro — who has represented celebrities like rapper Jay-Z. He also thanked his supporters and his faith in his address.
Since 2023, Adams and his administration have been under intense scrutiny from federal Manhattan prosecutors because of alleged fraud in his 2021 mayoral campaign and potential connections to the Turkish government. There were a series of raids, subpoenas, resignations, and indictments, starting with Adams’ chief election campaign fundraiser, 25-year-old Brianna Suggs. The tension ramped up over the course of several months among Adams’ top officials and agency heads as people opted to resign abruptly from their positions.
Adams was finally indicted in September 2024 on a five-count felony charge, including bribery, conspiracy, campaign finance violations, seeking and accepting improper gifts, and donations from a foreign national. His trial was to begin in April of this year. If convicted, he would face a maximum sentence of 45 years in prison.
Adams maintained his innocence and refused to resign. He switched gears, controversially hiring Spiro to represent him. He was also heavily criticized by Democrats for spending months “cozying up to Republicans,” though Adams was adamant that he never discussed his case with President Donald Trump.
On Monday, Feb. 10, 2025, prosecutors in Manhattan were told to drop federal corruption charges against Adams in a memo to acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Danielle Sassoon from the U.S Department of Justice (DOJ). This came shortly after it was reported that Adams deliberately told his remaining commissioners and top officials not to criticize Trump or interfere with immigration enforcement in places like schools and hospitals.
Even with the DOJ order, Adams wasn’t yet free and clear. He still had to make his case for dismissal in front of Judge Dale E. Ho in Manhattan. In a hearing in February 2025, Ho reviewed the situation in order to decide whether or not to grant the DOJ’s request. Ho said the parties in the case needed to be prepared to address the reasons for the government’s dismissal request, the “scope and effect of Mayor Adams’s ‘consent in writing,’” and the “procedure for resolution of the motion.”
Ho gave his final ruling to dismiss the case with “prejudice” against Adams, ending the first criminal case against a sitting New York City mayor in modern history.
“Everything here smacks of a bargain: Dismissal of the indictment in exchange for immigration policy concessions,” the judge wrote in his 78-page decision despite ruling for dismissal, the New York Times reported.
“This case was never just about legal proceedings; it was about the core integrity of our democracy. New York is not for sale. New Yorkers deserve a government that operates transparently, independently, and in service of the public good—not one where legal outcomes are influenced by political backroom deals brokered in DC,” said Citizens Union Chairman John Avlon in a statement. “Judge Ho’s ruling does not change the fact that Mayor Adams put his personal self-interest ahead of the public interest. That is unacceptable. New Yorkers deserve leadership they can trust to steer our city with independence and integrity.”
Adams is not out of the woods entirely. He still has a reelection in the mayoral race to contend with in November’s general election, since he abruptly decided to drop out of the Democratic primary in June and run as an Independent this Thursday, April 3. His incredibly silent campaign had been behind in the polls, especially since former Governor Andrew Cuomo officially announced he was in the running. But for the first time, Adams said pointedly that he was “going to win” the reelection when asked by reporters after he finished his address on Wednesday.