Judge signals he's taking time to decide on dropping Adams charges

The judge who heard the Justice Department’s arguments for dropping the corruption case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D) signaled he’ll take some time to consider whether to allow the move after a more than hourlong hearing on Wednesday.

Judge Dale Ho said at the conclusion of the hearing that he didn’t want to “shoot from the hip” and make a ruling right from the bench, wanting to take into account what he heard from Adams and acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove, who directed that the case be dropped.

But he indicated that he also doesn't want the case to continue indefinitely, though he didn’t indicate when he might issue a ruling.

“It’s not in anyone’s interest here for this to drag on,” Ho said.

During the highly anticipated hearing, Ho questioned Adams and Bove about the prosecution’s motion to drop the charges against the embattled mayor, who is facing allegations that dating back to 2014 he sought and accepted bribes from foreign businesspeople and a Turkish government official.

Bove and Adams’s attorney Alex Spiro argued that Ho’s authority to review the decision was significantly limited and that he did not have much choice other than to dismiss the case. A judge must sign off before the case can officially be dropped.

Bove called the decision from the Department of Justice (DOJ) a “straightforward exercise in prosecutorial discretion” with guidance from President Trump’s executive order pushing against alleged weaponization of the justice system.

The order from Bove to dismiss the charges caused considerable uproar among critics of Adams and prosecutors who had been involved in the case. Former acting U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon resigned from her office rather than motion to drop the case, alleging that Adams’s attorneys “repeatedly” pushed for a “quid pro quo” between their client and the Trump administration.

That arrangement allegedly entails Adams being granted leniency in his legal issues in exchange for assisting the administration with its immigration priorities. Adams continued his rejections of that idea during the hearing on Wednesday, insisting that no quid pro quo is happening.

Adams told Ho that he was not promised anything nor threatened in any way for him to agree to the charges being dropped, according to a NewsNation reporter in the courtroom.

Sassoon was one of more than a half-dozen prosecutors who resigned in protest over Bove’s directive. A prosecutor eventually signed off on the motion to the judge.

Spiro called Sassoon’s argument “partisan noise” and suggested that she showed bias against Trump.

Bove maintained his arguments first mentioned in his memo signaling the DOJ’s shift that the case is interfering with “national security and immigration enforcement initiatives being carried out by the executive branch.” He said he’s not arguing about the strength of the case but argued it has “appearances of impropriety.”

Bove said a trial would interfere with 75 percent of Adams’s time, according to the NewsNation reporter.

The memo from Bove argued that the case interfered with Adams’s reelection campaign this year and his ability to address illegal immigration and violent crime.

Ho also raised that the motion is to dismiss the charges without prejudice, meaning they could be reinstated at a future date.

Bove said they could be reinstated, though he doesn’t plan to do so at this time, and Adams told Ho he was "not afraid" of the possibility, as he said he hasn’t committed a crime.

The hearing comes as local and state leaders wrestle with how to handle Adams and the possibility of removing him from office.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) met with “key leaders” on Tuesday to discuss a path forward and signaled possible openness to using her office’s power to remove Adams, which would be unprecedented. A committee of local officials also could potentially gather to try to declare him unable to fulfill his responsibilities.

Several officials have called on Adams to resign in the wake of the DOJ moving to drop the case and accusations that he has to do what the president wants to avoid the charges being refiled, but Adams has rejected those calls, pledging to stay in office and continue with his reelection bid.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Topics

Manslaughter charges against Liam Payne's friend dropped

Roger Nores and two workers from the hotel where the singer died will no longer face prosecution.
BBC News - 1d
New York Gov. Hochul won't remove Mayor Eric Adams 'at this time'

The DOJ is seeking to dismiss its criminal case against Eric Adams, citing the need for the mayor's cooperation on Trump immigration policies.
CNBC - 13h
'He can't believe it!' - Rohit drop denies Axar hat-trick

Watch as India's Axar Patel is denied a hat-trick as captain Rohit Sharma drops the ball at slip in their opening game against Bangladesh in the Champions Trophy.
BBC News - 1d
Argentina court drops charges against three people over Liam Payne death

Charges of criminal negligence dropped against three key defendants over death of British singer in October. A court in Argentina has dropped charges of criminal negligence against three of the ...
The Guardian - 16h
Court drops charges against 3 people tied to the death of singer Liam Payne

A court in Argentina has dropped charges of criminal negligence against three of the five people indicted in connection with the death of Liam Payne, the former One Direction singer who fell from a ...
ABC News - 16h
Hawks' Trae Young has a bone to pick with referees who 'take s--- personally,' but he dug his own hole

Young's Hawks lost to Orlando on Thursday and he didn't like the way the whistle blew
CBS Sports - 8h
German elections: When are they, what’s being decided and how that will impact markets

The election for the 630-seat Bundestag is taking place on Sunday, Feb. 23. It’s happening seven months early after a snap election was agreed.
MarketWatch - 5h
Willingness to ease off ‘debt brake’ may decide the German election

Rule dating from 2009 that limits borrowing looks vulnerable as main political parties promise to revive stalled economy. Germany is used to running its economy with the brake on. Ever since the ...
The Guardian - 1h
A Signal Update Fends Off a Phishing Technique Used in Russian Espionage

Google warns that hackers tied to Russia are tricking Ukrainian soldiers with fake QR codes for Signal group invites that let spies steal their messages. Signal has pushed out new safeguards.
Wired - 2d
Cruise stocks tumble after Commerce Secretary Lutnick signals tax crackdown

Royal Caribbean was the hardest hit.
CNBC - 16h

More from The Hill

Trudeau after Canada hockey win over US: 'You can't take our country — and you can't take our game'

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took a veiled swipe at President Trump on Thursday, after Canada defeated the U.S. in the 4 Nations Face-Off hockey game. “You can’t take our country — and ...
The Hill - 42m
Live updates: Waltz to speak at CPAC amid backlash over Trump's foreign policy

National security adviser Mike Waltz is set to speak at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Friday, amid backlash over President Trump's approach to ending the Russia-Ukraine ...
The Hill - 46m
A DOGE dividend could be a win-win-win for the GOP and Team Trump

With Democrats screaming that the sky is falling every time the Department of Government Efficiency axes one federal worker, Elon Musk’s team needs some good public relations.
The Hill - 47m
How many people over 100 receive Social Security benefits?

Here's how many Social Security retirement checks go out to people 99 and older. Hint: It's far fewer than Trump claims.
The Hill - 1h
Europe’s elite fears Trump, Musk and the truth

The EU's ruling class has become fanatical in its desire to censor.
The Hill - 1h

More in Politics

Trudeau after Canada hockey win over US: 'You can't take our country — and you can't take our game'

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took a veiled swipe at President Trump on Thursday, after Canada defeated the U.S. in the 4 Nations Face-Off hockey game. “You can’t take our country — and ...
The Hill - 42m
Live updates: Waltz to speak at CPAC amid backlash over Trump's foreign policy

National security adviser Mike Waltz is set to speak at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Friday, amid backlash over President Trump's approach to ending the Russia-Ukraine ...
The Hill - 46m
A DOGE dividend could be a win-win-win for the GOP and Team Trump

With Democrats screaming that the sky is falling every time the Department of Government Efficiency axes one federal worker, Elon Musk’s team needs some good public relations.
The Hill - 47m
How many people over 100 receive Social Security benefits?

Here's how many Social Security retirement checks go out to people 99 and older. Hint: It's far fewer than Trump claims.
The Hill - 1h
Europe’s elite fears Trump, Musk and the truth

The EU's ruling class has become fanatical in its desire to censor.
The Hill - 1h