Attorney for NYC Mayor Eric Adams asks judge to hurry up and decide whether to dismiss case
An attorney for New York City Mayor Eric Adams has asked a judge to hurry up and make a ruling on the motion to dismiss his federal corruption case.
The Department of Justice motion to dismiss the bribery and fraud charges against the mayor has been pending before Judge Dale Ho since the middle of February.
Monday, attorney Alex Spiro wrote Judge Ho a letter asking the court "to issue its decision as soon as practicable."
"We respectfully write to alert the Court that Mayor Adams's petitions for his candidacy for mayor are due Thursday, April 3, 2025. We urge the Court consistent with its own comments to promptly reach a decision in this matter," Spiro wrote.
Spiro pointed out that the court had previously acknowledged the importance of the case moving swiftly "specifically in light of the election calendar."
The Justice Department moved to dismiss the case without prejudice on Feb. 14, meaning that Adams could potentially be re-indicted at a later time on the same charges. Adams formally consented to the move to dismiss on Feb. 18.
Judge Ho appointed Paul Clement as a friend to the court to file a counter argument. On March 7, Clement filed his brief, which argued for the case to be dismissed with prejudice, meaning that Adams could not be reindicted on the same charges.
"A dismissal without prejudice creates a palpable sense that the prosecution outlined in the indictment and approved by a grand jury could be renewed, a prospect that hangs like the proverbial Sword of Damocles over the accused," Clement wrote in his filing. "Such an ongoing prospect of re-indictment is particularly problematic when it comes to the sensitive task of prosecuting public officials. There is an inherent risk that once an indictment has been procured, the prospect of reindictment could create the appearance, if not the reality, that the actions of a public official are being driven by concerns about staying in the good graces of the federal executive, rather than the best interests of his constituents."
