NYC Mayor Eric Adams will now be beholden to President Trump, critics say
NEW YORK -- The Department of Justice's order to end the corruption case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams has not come as a surprise to some elected officials.
Many believe the meeting he had with President Trump even before the inauguration and a recent visit to Washington D.C. set the stage for the DOJ's memo on Monday that directed the Southern District of New York to dump the charges.
The order is not official just yet, for it still has to be approved by the judge overseeing the case.
- Read more: NYC Mayor Eric Adams addresses DOJ order to drop corruption charges, vows to earn back trust
Mayor Adams' loyalty must be to NYC, Gov. Hochul says
Many are wondering if the mayor's close relationship with Mr. Trump will compromise his ability to put New Yorkers first. Gov. Kathy Hochul was asked that very question at her own news conference on Tuesday.
"Do I think he's compromised? That is speculation. I don't know. I don't know whether anyone is compromised in that situation. I truly do not know. I have to believe that the mayor is going to put the interests of New York City first and I'm going to continue monitoring the situation," Hochul said.
The mayor has publicly said he believes he was a target of the Biden administration because he was critical of its immigration policy. Hochul, who has the power to remove the mayor from office, said regardless of the reasons for the investigation, Adams has to have his priorities in order moving forward.
"I encourage the mayor to examine all of his actions and to know that he is going to be under a spotlight to make sure that people have confidence that there has been no reason why he would not take a certain action, that he has to demonstrate to New Yorkers that he is putting them first, above all, including the White House. That's how it has to be," Hochul said.
The governor is advising the mayor to focus on public safety and steering the city in the right direction.
The Rev. Al Sharpton also took issue with the DOJ's order to end the case.
"I am concerned about last night's developments, particularly that this directive says the mayor should not go to trial so he can work on President Trump's policies on immigration and crime. It is unheard of in a criminal justice proceeding to suggest you not deal with the criminal allegations for political or policy reasons. So if the mayor were to disagree with the president, does that mean they have the right to call a trial on him at any time? It certainly sounds like President Trump is holding the Mayor hostage," Sharpton said. "I have supported the mayor, but he has been put in an unfair position -- even for him -- of essentially political blackmail. President Trump pardoned January 6th rioters who beat police, but did not pardon the mayor, who may be guilty. The argument that prosecutors cannot bring a case nine months before a primary is nonsense, considering that would also preclude any Congressional candidate from running every two years. They're talking to New Yorkers as if we have no sense of a game being played -- when we have the ability to spot one before it even starts."
The mayor's reelection campaign
Part of the reason for the order was chalked up to bad timing, as the DOJ said the case "improperly interfered with Mayor Adams' campaign in the 2025 mayoral election."
Some of the mayor's opponents in the upcoming election responded on Tuesday morning.
At a news conference, City Comptroller Brad Lander called the order a dangerous decision, adding Adams is now controlled by the president.
"If the president harms or threatens New York City, the mayor will be unable to fight back because he clearly cares about staying out of prison more than he cares about the wellbeing of New Yorkers," Lander said.
He added, "The mayor has made it clear he's standing up for just himself."
State Sen. Zellnor Myrie, another mayoral candidate, also spoke out, saying Adams no longer works for New Yorkers because he works for Mr. Trump.
"Mayor Eric Adams will be under the thumb and control of Donald Trump until November," Myrie added.
"And he's gonna sit there and tell Eric Adams what to do and who to do it to," former city comptroller Scott Stringer said.
City Councilwoman Shahana Hanif posted the following on social media: "Trump and Adams cut their backroom deal, and everyday New Yorkers pay the price. Our spineless Mayor sold out his last shred of integrity for a legal favor -- but we're ready to fight back. New York will not stand for this."
"We have lost leadership on this city at crucial moment and I'm deeply worried what it will mean for our future, most vulnerable New Yorkers and our immigrant communities," City Councilman Shekar Krishnan added.
"Eric Adams sold us out in order to save himself," Sen. Jessica Ramos said.
"It wasn't even a back room deal. It was out in the open," mayoral candidate Whitney Tilson said.
"Standing up to Trump means replacing this kind of a mayor," Rep. Zohran Mamdani said.
Former Assemblyman Michael Blake said he believes the governor should ask the mayor to step down.
"One hundred percent. We're at a point now, this is not tenable," he said.
Not everyone sees the DOJ's order as a mistake. The mayor's predecessor, Bill de Blasio, said the evidence was weak to begin with.
"A very weak case, in my opinion, was brought, a strangely weak case. So, from my point of view, it's right for the Justice Department to say there's not enough here to go on and there's an election in four and a half months, and they need to step back," de Blasio told CNN.
