In a surprising turn of events, senior officials from the Department of Justice have reportedly been in talks with federal prosecutors in Manhattan about the potential dismissal of corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams, according to a source privy to the discussions.
This information was confirmed by CBS News.
Mayor Adams was slapped with a five-count indictment in September, which included charges of bribery, conspiracy, and campaign finance violations. Despite the serious allegations, Adams has consistently maintained his innocence, pleading not guilty to all charges. If convicted, the mayor could face a staggering 45 years behind bars. However, it remains unclear whether the New York federal prosecutors who initiated the case will proceed with the charges.
The New York Times was the first to break the news about these discussions. The talks are not unusual in the context of a criminal court case, but the timing has raised eyebrows. The discussions come on the heels of a meeting between Adams and former President Donald Trump in Florida, prior to Trump's inauguration, as reported by CBS News New York's Marcia Kramer.
In a statement following the meeting, Adams clarified that his legal case was not a topic of discussion. "To be clear, we did not discuss my legal case, and those who suggest the mayor of the largest city in the nation shouldn't meet with the incoming president to discuss our city's priorities because of inaccurate speculation or because we're from different parties clearly care more about politics than people," Adams stated.
Adding to the intrigue, Adams abruptly canceled plans to commemorate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in New York City, choosing instead to attend Trump's inauguration after receiving a last-minute invitation. Trump has previously expressed sympathy for Adams, suggesting that he has been treated unfairly and hinting at a potential pardon. If the charges were to be dropped, a pardon would be unnecessary.
The timing of these revelations is further complicated by recent developments. Manhattan prosecutors recently filed paperwork indicating they had discovered "additional criminal conduct" by the mayor. Amidst these revelations, Adams has scaled back his public schedule due to health concerns, according to his office. Meanwhile, Adams' attorney Alex Spiro was in court for a closed-door, sealed meeting about discovery in the case.
The news of the potential dismissal of charges coincided with New York City's Democratic primary mayoral forum, an event Adams was invited to but did not attend. During the forum, former Bronx Assemblyman Michael Blake took a jab at Adams, stating, "None of us canceled MLK events to go to a Trump inauguration, and none of us are trying to get a pardon."
Regardless of the outcome of the charges, this year's mayoral candidates have made it clear that they will demand answers from Adams during the campaign. "Whether the federal prosecutors drop the charges or keep the charges, he's still going to have to answer for a dismal administration and that's up to the voters," said former New York City comptroller Scott Stringer.
Comptroller Brad Lander echoed this sentiment, stating, "New Yorkers deserve to know whether Eric Adams sold us out by trading illegal campaign contributions from the Turkish government for an approval of an unsafe building and other favors."
As the city's mayoral race heats up, the potential dismissal of charges against Mayor Adams adds a new layer of complexity. The citizens of New York City will undoubtedly be watching closely as the situation unfolds.
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