By Corinne Ramey and James Fanelli
A federal judge on Wednesday dismissed the bribery case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams, ending a weekslong saga that prompted a number of federal prosecutors to resign and created a rift within the Justice Department.
U.S. District Judge Dale Ho issued the order with prejudice, meaning that prosecutors can't seek to renew the charges in the future.
In a 78-page written ruling, Ho said he was dismissing the case in part because he had no power to compel the Department of Justice to prosecute the case. But by prohibiting the indictment from being renewed, it ensured that the prospect of future charges "cannot be used as leverage over Mayor Adams or the City of New York," he added.
Federal prosecutors in Manhattan last year charged Adams, a Democrat, with bribery, fraud and campaign-finance offenses in a five-count indictment. They alleged that Adams for nearly a decade accepted more than $100,000 in benefits and travel perks. In exchange, they said, he used his official power to help his benefactors, including by paving the way for a midtown Manhattan building to open without a fire inspection.
Adams pleaded not guilty and has denied wrongdoing. His trial had been scheduled for April, just two months before the Democratic mayoral primary.
Write to Corinne Ramey at corinne.ramey@wsj.com and James Fanelli at james.fanelli@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
April 02, 2025 09:53 ET (13:53 GMT)
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