Investigate former NYC Mayor Eric Adams, government watchdog group tells Manhattan prosecutors

A New York City government watchdog group wrote a letter to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg urging him to open an investigation into the dropped criminal charges against former Mayor Eric Adams. 

Adams was indicted in 2024 on five counts of federal bribery, wire fraud and conspiracy to solicit a campaign donation from a foreign national. He pleaded not guilty and repeatedly maintained his innocence.

The charges were ultimately dropped after the U.S. Department of Justice sent a memo to New York prosecutors to dismiss the case. The memo said, in part, the case was hindering Adams' ability to help President Trump's administration with its immigration crackdown.   

Group says dismissal was part of a "quid pro quo" 

In its letter, government watchdog group Citizens United said the dismissal decision was based on federal immigration enforcement priority rather than "doubts about the quality of sufficiency of the government's case."

It also points to former acting New York U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon alleging that Adams' lawyer offered a "quid pro quo" involving helping Immigration and Customs Enforcement to get the case dropped. 

"The dismissal, therefore, reflects a political judgment, one that a number of commentators have characterized as a quid pro quo arrangement, rather than any determination on the merits," the letter states. 

Citizens Union officials called on Bragg to investigate and, if warranted, take the case back to court.

The letter acknowledges that Bragg could face challenges if they decided to move forward. The authors wrote the federal Justice Department might not be willing to share investigative files, but "many of the same documents can be obtained from other sources, such as the DOI and from Adams' attorneys."

Citizens Union urged Bragg to use his subpoena authority to obtain the materials, although the Department of Investigation would be subject to the same process and law as the Justice Department. So, they don't have to share the files either. 

Manhattan District Attorney's response

"The Manhattan D.A.'s Office has a proven track record of prosecuting matters of public corruption and campaign finance fraud and holding those accountable who violate state law, as the letter notes. While we appreciate the outreach from Citizens Union and its dedication to the integrity of local elections, the office considered all available and feasible avenues suggested in this letter at the time of the federal dismissal," a spokesperson said.

In other words, the Manhattan DA's office is saying they already took a look at it, and passed. 

Eric Adams speaks out  

Todd Shaprio, the senior spokesperson for Adams, said the former mayor "has been clear from the beginning that the allegations brought against him were without merit."

"Attempts to revive a dismissed federal matter through political pressure campaigns do nothing to help working New Yorkers, reduce crime, build housing, or move the city forward," Shapiro said in a statement.

While Adams received calls to step down, he ultimately served out his term. He suspended his campaign bid just two months before the 2025 election.