Justice Dept. Seeks Dismissal of Federal Corruption Case Against Adams

The Justice Department on Monday told federal prosecutors in Manhattan to drop the corruption charges against Mayor Eric Adams of New York, claiming his indictment last fall came too near the 2025 mayoral primary and had limited his ability to cooperate in President Trump’s immigration crackdown.“You are directed to dismiss” the charges, Emil Bove, the Justice Department’s acting No.2 official, wrote in a letter to prosecutors, according to two people briefed on its contents.The remarkable intervention by a Trump political appointee in a public corruption prosecution casts doubt on the future of the case against the mayor.

It also raises urgent questions about the administration of justice during Mr.Trump’s second term and casts the independence of federal prosecutors into doubt.It is not clear how Danielle R.

Sassoon, the interim U.S.attorney in Manhattan, will respond to the order to drop the case.

A spokesman for Ms.Sassoon’s office declined to comment.Any motion to dismiss the charges must be filed in court and reviewed by the judge overseeing the case.In a memo sent to prosecutors in Manhattan, Mr.

Bove accused the former U.S.attorney in Manhattan, who oversaw the investigation, of bringing the charges for political gain, according to two people familiar with the matter.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

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