Justice Department Directs Dismissal of Charges Against Mayor Eric Adams
The U.S. Department of Justice has issued a memorandum instructing the dismissal of charges against Mayor Eric Adams in the case United States v. Adams, No. 24 Cr. 556 (SDNY). The directive, authorized by the Attorney General, is to be executed as soon as practicable under specific conditions.
The conditions for dismissal include:
- The defendant must agree in writing to dismissal without prejudice.
- The defendant must agree in writing not to be considered a prevailing party under the Hyde Amendment.
- The matter will be reviewed by the confirmed U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of New York after the November 2025 mayoral election.
The memorandum emphasizes that there should be no further targeting of Mayor Adams or additional investigative steps prior to that review. Additionally, the Justice Department has instructed that steps be taken to restore Mayor Adams' security clearances.
This decision comes without an assessment of the strength of the evidence or legal theories of the case, which is left to the U.S. Attorney's Office. The Justice Department underscores the necessity of this dismissal due to concerns about the integrity of the proceedings, especially in light of the timing of the charges and recent public actions by the former U.S. Attorney. These actions are viewed as having increased prejudicial pretrial publicity, which could affect witnesses and the jury pool.
Furthermore, the memorandum highlights the potential conflict stemming from Mayor Adams' criticism of the prior Administration’s immigration policies before the charges were filed, leading to appearances of impropriety as outlined in recent Justice Department communications.
