NEW YORK CITY (TIP): Judge Dale Ho has agreed to the U.S. Department of Justice’s request to drop the charges against Adams, but he did so “with prejudice.” That means Adams cannot be re-tried on the same charges at a later time – a stipulation the Justice Department sought in its initial request to dismiss the case.

The decision to formally drop the case comes after Judge Ho appointed Paul Clement as a “friend of the court” to present arguments over the DOJ’s request. The initial hearing on the request did not include anyone who opposed the move. In his filing to the court, Clement argued the case should be dropped with prejudice to prevent the appearance that Adams remains under political pressure.

The outcome appears to put an end to the legal jeopardy that Adams had been in ever since he was indicted last September on five counts of bribery, conspiracy and campaign finance violations.

“The case against Eric Adams should have never been brought in the first place—and finally today that case is gone forever. From Day 1, the mayor has maintained his innocence and now justice for Eric Adams and New Yorkers has prevailed,” Adams’ attorney Alex Spiro said.

“This case was an example of political weaponization and a waste of resources. We are focused on arresting and prosecuting terrorists while returning the Department of Justice to its core mission of keeping Americans safe,” the Department of Justice said in a statement.

In the DOJ request to drop the case, prosecutors said having it hang over Adams interfered with his 2025 mayoral campaign and his ability to cooperate with the Trump administration‘s crackdown on immigration.

The initial request to drop the charges made note that the decision was not based on “the strength of the evidence or the legal theories on which the case is based.”

That triggered concerns that Adams could not effectively govern the city because he would be beholden to the Trump administration, as long as the possibility of the charges returning remained in place.

Adams and his attorneys have vehemently denied any wrongdoing.

Mayor Adams responds to charges being dropped

Adams spoke at Gracie Mansion after the case against him was dropped.

“As I’ve said all along, this case should have never been brought and I did nothing wrong,” Adams said. “I am now happy that our city can finally close the book and focus solely on the future of our great city. I want to thank New Yorkers who stood by my side, who prayed for me, who supported me from day one and stuck with me while we focused on the work at hand.”

He offered an apology to New Yorkers.

“I also want to apologize to New Yorkers for having to go through this with me, a baseless case that should have never been brought in the first place,” Adams said.

Adams said New Yorkers are his “north star” and he thinks about them every day.

“I’m a New Yorker, and this is the greatest city on the globe, and it’s a privilege being your mayor, something I did not take for granted one day, and I’m going to continue to serve you,” Adams said. “As I have repeatedly said, I have always been solely beholden to the people of this city. No special interests, no political opponents, but just everyday New Yorkers. Just you, and I’m going to continue to do that. So today we turn the page, we move forward together.”

Before he went back into Gracie Mansion, Adams held up a copy of “Government Gangsters,” a book by FBI Director Kash Patel.

“Read it and understand how we can never allow this to happen to another innocent American,” Adams said.

More on the judge’s ruling

Judge Ho’s decision includes words Adams’ opponents are sure to focus in on: “Everything here smacks of a bargain, dismissal of the indictment in exchange for immigration policy concessions.”

In his ruling to dismiss the case with prejudice, Judge Ho took issue with the Department of Justice’s request to dismiss the case without prejudice, meaning he could’ve faced trial on the same charges again at a later time.

Judge Ho summarized the DOJ’s reasoning to drop the case as based on three things: It’s tainted with impropriety, detrimental to national security and immigration enforcement, and was a weak case to begin with.

“There may or may not be good reasons to drop this prosecution. But the reasons articulated by DOJ, if taken at face value, are inconsistent with a decision to leave the charges in the Indictment hanging like the proverbial Sword of Damocles over the Mayor,” Judge Ho wrote. “And there are many reasons to be troubled by DOJ’s proffered rationales—further supporting dismissal with prejudice.”

Judge Ho also addressed why he couldn’t continue to pursue the case after the DOJ moved to dismiss it.

“Some will undoubtedly find today’s decision unsatisfying, wondering why, if DOJ’s ostensible reasons for dropping this case are so troubling, the Court does not simply deny the Motion to Dismiss altogether. But, as explained above, the Court cannot order DOJ to continue the prosecution, and it is aware of no authority (outside of the criminal contempt context) that would empower it, as some have urged, to appoint an independent prosecutor,” Judge Ho wrote. “Therefore, any decision by this Court to deny the Government’s Motion to Dismiss would be futile at best, because DOJ could—and, by all indications, unequivocally would—simply refuse to prosecute the case, inevitably resulting in a dismissal after seventy days for violating the Mayor’s right to a speedy trial. That route would simply postpone finality in this case to a date uncomfortably close to the June 24 mayoral primary. The public interest would not be served by such an outcome.”

 

“To be clear, the Court again emphasizes that it does not express any opinion as to the merits of the case or whether the prosecution of Mayor Adams ‘should’ move forward,” Judge Ho added.

“Legally speaking, he is innocent until proven guilty, and he will never be proven guilty – that is an unequivocal, it is rare when we can rarely say things that definitively – but he will never face legal consequences for the allegations that were against him in this case,” Hofstra Law Professor James Sample said.

Impact on the mayor’s race

The timing of the decision to drop the case was critical for Adams, who faced a Thursday deadline to file petitions to run for mayor in New York City’s Democratic primary. He later announced he will run as an independent candidate.

The decision means Adams is now free to run without the threat of going to jail, or facing a politically damaging trial.

CBS News New York has learned that Adams is immediately jumping into the political fray, and he plans to participate in a mayoral candidates forum sponsored by the National Action Network Thursday, April 3.

“He looks forward to engaging with fellow candidates and community leaders to discuss the future of our great city,” a spokesman said.

Since there’s no possibility of the charges against him resurfacing, Adams can also say he is not beholden to President Trump or his administration, since they can no longer bring the same case against him. Adams has repeatedly said that, and just Tuesday night, New York City joined a suit against the Trump administration to challenge cuts that would cost New York City $100 million in CDC funding.

“When federal policies directly impact our city, we have been, and will continue to be, the first and loudest to advocate for New Yorkers. These funds are crucial in protecting public health, and the reversal will have serious consequences for communities across the five boroughs,” Adams said in his statement Tuesday night.

Even before Adams officially learned that his case had been dropped, Adams made it clear at a National Action Network event Wednesday that suggestions he was “under the finger” of President Trump were, in his mind, false.

“I do not know who you think I’m under the finger of,” Adams said Wednesday morning. “But I’m on the finger of Eric Adams, the mayor of the city of New York, and I’m going to continue to do so.”

Adams also made an argument voters can expect to hear if he seeks another term.

“I’m the same person that made sure we put $17 billion in the [minority and women-owned businesses] in this city, that invested in foster care children, that built more housing in year one and year two of our administration than in the history of this city,” Adams said.

Adams has previously told CBS News New York’s Marcia Kramer to expect twists and turns in the upcoming mayoral election.

Adams’ opposition speaks out The mayor’s detractors were also speaking out.

“Either way, I think there was tremendous damage that was done to this city because of an Adams administration, so the quickest we can get away from this administration, I think the better for the city,” Public Advocate Jumaane Williams said.

“It’s absolutely disgusting. You have a man that broke the law. We want to remind people that it wasn’t just about flight upgrades. This was a man who illegally held a campaign donor scheme, and the fact that the judge unfortunately bowed to Trump is appalling,” mayoral candidate Michael Blake said.

“The ruling does not change the facts: Eric Adams works for Donald Trump, not New Yorkers,” mayoral candidate and city Comptroller Brad Lander said.

“Eric Adams has sold out New Yorkers and put himself above the public at every chance he could. Even the judge in the case agrees: this slimy deal reeks of a quid pro quo with the Trump administration. In exchange for his freedom, Adams has looked the other way while the federal government detains and disappears New Yorkers, steals money from our city, and wages war on working people. Adams should resign in disgrace,” mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani said.

Move to drop charges sparked resignations

The DOJ memo seeking to drop the charges set off a spate of resignations that started in City Hall, at the very heart of Adams’ inner circle, and reached all the way to the U.S. attorney’s office. At issue was then-Acting U.S. Attorney of the Southern District of New York Danielle Sassoon’s allegation that the request to dismiss the case amounted to a quid pro quo, namely Adams’ cooperation on President Trump’s immigration enforcement in exchange for his charges being dropped. Sassoon resigned, rather than drop the charges, as did several other people in the U.S. attorney’s office.

The mayor and his attorney pushed back strenuously against the notion of a quid pro quo.

“The idea that there was a quid pro quo is a total lie. We offered nothing and the department asked nothing of us,” Adams’ attorney  Alex Spiro said.

Allegations that Adams had been compromised by the Trump administration and was operating, essentially, under its thumb led four New York City deputy mayors to resign and spurred numerous calls for Adams to step down. Gov. Kathy Hochul, who has the power to remove Adams from office, then met with key leaders to discuss his future. She ultimately acted to limit Adams’ powers in a bid to restore trust in government, but said she wouldn’t remove him.

What Adams has been accused of Last September, federal prosecutors alleged Adams had been abusing his power for almost a decade. They said he solicited illegal campaign donations from wealthy foreigners and corporations, including a Turkish government official.

In the 57-page indictment, Adams was accused of receiving gifts he didn’t disclose, including luxury travel, worth more than $100,000, in return for political favors.

“These upgrades and freebies were not part of some frequent flyer or loyalty program available to the general public. As we allege, this was a multi-year scheme to buy favor with a single New York City politician on the rise,” then-U.S. District Attorney for the Southern District Damian Williams said as he announced the indictment.

Prosecutors accused Adams of pressuring FDNY officials to approve the Turkish consulate building in Manhattan, despite fire safety concerns.

The Adams campaign was also accused of using “straw donors” for illicit contributions, enabling it to tap into $10 million in matching funds.

“These are bright red lines, and we allege that the mayor crossed them again and again for years,” Williams said.

Before the DOJ stepped in, prosecutors appeared to be ramping up their case, claiming they had uncovered “additional criminal conduct.”

Adams’ associates are also under investigation

The historic indictment came amid multiple investigations into Adams’ campaign, as well as other administration officials.

Numerous top members of the Adams administration resigned before the indictment was announced, including former NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban and his twin brother, James Caban. Former Schools Chancellor David Banks and his wife, former Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright, and his brother, former Deputy Mayor Philip Banks III, were also investigated.

Ingrid Lewis-Martin, a longtime Adams advisor, pleaded not guilty to bribery, money laundering and conspiracy in a case involving her son and two real estate developers. The mayor’s former liaison for the Muslim community, Mohamed Bahi, was also charged with conspiracy for his role in collecting illegal donations for Adams’ 2021 mayoral campaign and has agreed to plead guilty, according to court documents.

Here is a timeline of his alleged crimes and the investigation swirling around his inner circle.

According to the indictment, Adams received free airplane tickets and upgrades on several occasions between 2016-2021, when he was Brooklyn borough president.

2016: Received two free upgrades to business class on a roundtrip from New York to India via Turkey, valued at over $12,000

2017: Received three free business class tickets on a roundtrip from New York to France, Turkey and China, along with a “heavily discounted” stay in a suite at the luxury St. Regis Istanbul hotel, valued at over $41,000

2017: Received two free business class tickets on a roundtrip from New York to China via Turkey, valued at over $16,000

2018: Received two free upgrades to business class on a roundtrip from New York to Hungary via Turkey, valued at over $12,000

2019: Received a free upgrade to business class on a flight from New York to Turkey, along with a free stay at a suite at the St. Regis Istanbul hotel, free meals, free transportation and free entertainment, valued at over $9,000

2021: Received two free upgrades to business class on a roundtrip from New York to Ghana via Turkey, along with a free meal and transportation during a layover in Istanbul, valued at over $12,000

Adams was also accused of soliciting and accepting two free upgrades to business class on a roundtrip from New York to Turkey in 2021, along with free or “steeply discounted” luxury hotel and resort stays, transportation, entertainment and meals, but he later canceled.

NYC Mayor Eric Adams’ inner circle under investigation

Nov. 2, 2023 — Adams abruptly cancels a trip to Washington, D.C. to discuss the asylum seeker crisis with senior White House officials. A spokesperson says the mayor returned to New York City to deal with a matter related to the campaign.

CBS News New York later reports that the FBI carried out a raid at the home of one of the mayor’s top fundraisers, Brianna Suggs, that morning.

Adams later insists he complied with the rules of the campaign and says he was surprised by the investigation.

Nov. 3, 2023 — The Adams campaign announces its own investigation into contributions.

Nov. 6, 2023 — FBI agents seize Adams’ iPhones and iPad (This was not known until Nov. 10).

Nov. 8, 2023 — For nearly an hour, Adams fields questions from reporters about why he suddenly left the White House meeting.

Nov. 13, 2023 — Adams and City Hall officials ask the FBI to stop leaking information about the investigation.

Nov. 17, 2023 — Sources tell CBS News New York the FBI searched the homes of Rana Abbasova, who worked in the Mayor’s Office for International Affairs, and Cenk Ocal, a former Turkish Airlines executive on Adams’ transition team.

Nov. 18, 2023 — Adams sets up a legal defense fund amid the corruption investigation into his 2021 campaign.

Nov. 28, 2023 — Adams says Suggs was reassigned and no longer raising money for his reelection campaign.

Dec. 6, 2023 — A Quinnipiac University poll says Adams’ approval rating sunk to a record low.

Feb. 29, 2024 — The FBI raids the homes of Winnie Greco, Adams’ director of Asian affairs and a prolific fundraiser who worked with him for over a decade.

April 5, 2024 — CBS News New York reports the FBI is investigating expensive upgrades Adams received on flights to Turkey.

May 21, 2024 — CBS News New York reports Abbasova, Adams liaison to the Turkish community, is cooperating with federal investigators probing the 2021 campaign.

Aug. 15, 2024 — CBS News New York reports Adams and members of his staff were issued new subpoenas in July.

Sept. 4, 2024 — Federal agents raid the homes of four top members of the Adams administration, including Police Commissioner Edward Caban, First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright, Deputy Mayor Philip Banks, and Timothy Pearson, an advisor to the mayor and former high-ranking NYPD official.

Sept. 12, 2024 — Caban resigns as New York City police commissioner, saying the raids had “created a distraction.”

Sept. 14, 2024 — Adams’ chief counsel Lisa Zornberg resigns.

Sept. 21, 2024 — Federal agents search multiple homes belonging to Interim NYPD Commissioner Tom Donlon. Donlon says the agents “took materials that came into my possession approximately 20 years ago and are unrelated to my work with the New York City Police Department.”

Sept. 23, 2024 — New York City Health Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan submits his resignation for personal and family reasons, effective in January 2025.

Sept. 24, 2024 — Adams addresses reports of the federal investigation expanding to his dealings with six foreign governments, including Turkey.

Sept. 25, 2024 — Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez joins the calls for Adams to resign “for the good of the city.” Hours later, CBS News New York reports Adams will be indicted.

Sept. 26, 2024 — Adams is indicted on federal bribery, conspiracy and campaign finance charges in the Southern District of New York, becoming the first sitting mayor of New York City to be criminally charged.

Sept. 27, 2024 — Adams is arraigned in Lower Manhattan and pleads not guilty to all charges. Federal agents also subpoena Adams’ chief advisor, Ingrid Lewis-Martin, and seize her phone in another incident involving the mayor’s inner circle.

Sept. 28, 2024 — Adams speaks publicly for the first time since his arraignment before a church event in Queens.

Sept. 30, 2024 — Adams’ attorney, Alex Spiro, moves to dismiss the bribery charge. The same day, Pearson announces his resignation.

Oct. 1, 2024 — Spiro asks the court to sanction federal prosecutors for allegedly leaking details of the case to the media. The mayor also fills two appointments, nominating Muriel Goode-Trufant to serve as corporation counsel and naming Allison Stoddart as his chief counsel.

Oct. 2, 2024 — Prosecutors say they will likely file a superseding indictment that could include more charges against Adams and additional defendants. Later that evening, Schools Chancellor David Banks says his retirement will be effective Oct. 16, months earlier than he had announced.

Oct. 7, 2024 — Adams confirms Philip Banks III, the schools chancellor’s brother, is stepping down. Later that night, CBS News New York learns three other top officials are leaving: Abbasova, Greco and Mohamed Bahi.

Oct. 8, 2024 — Another federal indictment drops, charging Bahi with destroying evidence and witness tampering. Hours later, Adams confirms Wright’s resignation and names Housing, Economic Development, and Workforce Maria Torres-Springer as her replacement.

Oct. 9, 2024 — Reports say a fifth investigation has been launched into Adams’ inner circle, involving the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office and the city’s Department of Investigation. Sources say it involves the leasing of commercial properties and a number of officials, including Lewis-Martin, who has been his confidant for decades.

Oct. 10, 2024 — Adams is said to be considering Sanitation Commissioner Jessica Tisch or former NYPD First Deputy Police Commissioner Ben Tucker to fill the police commissioner role on a permanent basis.

Also, that day, the NYPD School Safety Division’s former commanding officer, Kevin Taylor, has his home searched and phones seized, sources say. The New York Times reports investigators are looking into a consulting firm run by Terence Banks and a potential bribery scheme involving city contracts, including one with SaferWatch, a company that sells panic buttons to schools and police across the country.

NYC Mayor Eric Adams’ case dropped before reaching trial

Nov 1, 2024 — A judge sets Adams’ corruption trial to start in April 2025.

Nov. 15, 2024 — President-elect Donald Trump announces he will replace U.S. Attorney Damian Williams, sparking questions about the future of the Adams investigation once he takes office.

Nov. 16, 2024 — Trump says he might consider pardoning Adams, adding, “I think he was treated pretty unfairly.”

Dec. 15, 2024 — Lewis-Martin announces her retirement from the Adams administration amid reports that Manhattan prosecutors presented new evidence against her to a grand jury. Lewis-Martin later says she is “being falsely accused of something.”

Dec. 17, 2024 — A federal judge refuses to dismiss the bribery charge against Adams.

Dec. 19, 2024 — Lewis-Martin is indicted for bribery, money laundering and conspiracy by the Manhattan district attorney. She denies doing anything wrong.

Jan. 7, 2025 — Federal prosecutors say they uncovered “additional criminal conduct,” by Adams, but do not disclose the nature of the allegations.

Jan. 10, 2025 — Court papers reveal a grand jury looking into corruption charges against Adams hears from more witnesses.

Jan 17, 2025 — Adams meets with President-elect Trump at his golf club in Palm Beach, Florida, provoking opponents who suspect the mayor is seeking a pardon. After the meeting, Adams releases a statement saying, “To be clear, we did not discuss my legal case.”

Jan. 20, 2025 — Adams attends Mr. Trump’s presidential inauguration after accepting a last-minute invite to Washington, D.C. and later in the week dismisses criticism.

Jan. 29, 2025 — A source familiar with the discussions confirms to CBS News that senior Justice Department officials discussed the possibility of dropping Adams’ corruption charges with Manhattan federal prosecutors.

Jan. 31, 2025 — DOJ attorneys meet with Adams’ defense team and federal prosecutors about dropping the charges, sources say.

Feb. 10, 2025 — DOJ tells prosecutors to drop the case against Adams.

Feb. 11, 2025 — Adams addresses the DOJ’s order to drop the corruption case and vows to earn New Yorkers’ trust back. The mayor’s critics worry he is compromised and beholden to the president.

Feb. 12, 2025 — At a news conference, Adams’ attorney Spiro criticizes prosecutors leading the corruption case and argues it was politically motivated.

Feb. 13, 2025 — Danielle Sassoon, Manhattan’s top federal prosecutor, resigns with other DOJ officials in the wake of orders to drop the criminal case against Adams.

Feb. 14, 2025 — Adams appears on “Fox & Friends” with Mr. Trump’s border czar and denies Sassoon’s quid pro quo allegations. Later that day, federal prosecutors file a motion to formally drop the corruption charges against him.

Feb. 16, 2025 — Four of Adams’ eight deputy mayors say they are stepping down, citing the recent “extraordinary events” and the need “to stay faithful to the oaths we swore to New Yorkers and our families.”

Feb. 18, 2025 — Hochul meets with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and other key leaders to discuss Adams’ future as mayor. The governor has power to remove the mayor from office, but it has never been done in New York’s 235-year history.

Feb. 19, 2025 — Adams returns to court, where Judge Dale Ho questions him, his lawyers and the DOJ about the motion to dismiss, but does not make a final ruling.

Feb. 20, 2025 — Hochul announces three actions aimed at limiting Adams’ power and establishing “guardrails” around his administration. In a statement, Adams responds saying, “While there is no legal basis for limiting New Yorkers’ power by limiting the authority of my office, I have told the governor, as we have done in the past, that I am willing to work with her to ensure faith in our government is strong.”

Feb. 21, 2025 — Judge Ho appoints outside attorney Paul Clement to argue before the court and orders the case to continue. Meanwhile, Adams tells CBS News New York’s Marcia Kramer he’s sleeping “like a baby” as he continues to lead the city.

Feb. 26, 2025 — The mayor’s attorney files a motion to dismiss the case “with prejudice,” claiming prosecutorial misconduct involving Sassoon’s leaked resignation letter. A dismissal with prejudice would prevent the charges from being re-filed in the future.

March 3, 2025 — Top Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee, Reps. Jamie Raskin of Maryland and Jasmine Crockett of Texas, launch an investigation of the DOJ’s move to dismiss the case.

March 5, 2025 — Adams joins the mayors of Boston, Chicago and Denver testifying about sanctuary city policies before a House Oversight Committee. Many of the questions directed his way are related to the corruption case, and he reiterates there was no quid pro quo for his cooperation.

March 7, 2025 — Paul Clement, the outside counsel brought in to argue over whether the Adams case should be dismissed, files his brief to the court saying it should be dismissed with prejudice, meaning the charges against couldn’t be brought again. Clement argued that such a dismissal would prevent the appearance that Adams remains under political pressure.

March 20, 2025 — Adams taps attorney Randy Mastro to fill the role of first deputy mayor.

April 2, 2025 — Judge Ho rules the case should be dismissed with prejudice.

(Source: CBS News)