NYC Mayor Eric Adams' lawyer criticizes corruption case after DOJ recommends dropping charges
NEW YORK -- New York City Mayor Eric Adams' attorney held a news conference Wednesday to address the recent Department of Justice recommendation to drop the charges against the mayor.
Alex Spiro leveled stunning charges at former U.S. Attorney Damian Williams, saying he "would stop at nothing" to get Adams because he apparently had a political agenda of his own.
Adams' attorney argues prosecution was political
Spiro pointed to an article written by Williams bemoaning the "sad state of New York government," and seemed to imply that Williams' desire to run for public office was behind a vendetta to target Adams.
He took aim at Williams' press conference announcing the Adams corruption indictment.
"That wasn't a prosecutor searching for truth. That might as well have been a stump speech," Spiro said.
Williams did not return calls seeking comment. A spokesman for the U.S. attorney's office declined comment.
"Ultimately, there was no evidence that Adams broke any laws, ever," Spiro said.
Spiro criticized the case, comparing it to other probes of elected officials, including former Mayor Bill de Blasio and Lt. Gov. Brian Benjamin.
"The question really is why did these government lawyers take this step, this unusual step of trying to take Mayor Adams out?" Spiro said. "I can look at the surrounding circumstances -- we've been over this, the leaks, the presser, the raids, the threats, the police commissioner -- and tell you this was no search for truth. They were after him and they figured out a way to invent a crime."
"The president was not involved"
Spiro was peppered with questions about the Justice Department's decision to drop the case, and whether Adams' meeting with the president and attending other events related to the president had anything to do with it.
"The president was not involved," Spiro said.
And what about some sort of quid pro quo, did the mayor promise to cooperate with the feds on issues like immigration, crime and deportation?
"Of course not. That's absurd," Spiro said.
Spiro also pushed back on reporting that he blamed the case on the previous White House and on speculation that dropping the charges now puts the mayor in a compromising position with the current administration.
"Today is a new day. Some people will say, well, what's with the timing? Conspiracy theories, was there a deal? Of everything I say today, remember this: People want to point to the Department of Justice now fixing this miscarriage of justice, today, this new day, this moment in time, as if this is the moment the system lost its way. That couldn't be more backward, couldn't be more further from the truth. The truth is, justice was missing long ago when they attacked the mayor," he said.
Spiro said the case was about airline upgrades, which airlines give to politicians as a courtesy, and is not illegal.
"They have a memo, a legal opinion, that you don't have to disclose upgrades," Spiro said.
Will the case be officially dropped?
At this point, there is no clear deadline for when prosecutors with the Southern District of New York will make a decision on whether to officially drop the charges.
"That case should be dropped," U.S. Attorney Pam Bondi told reporters Wednesday evening. "I did not know that it had not been dropped yet, but I will certainly look into that."
"I expect the directive to be followed and the rule of law to be followed," Spiro said at his news conference.
The Justice Department memo leaves room for prosecutors to revisit the case after the 2025 mayoral election. When asked whether there's a looming threat that the case could come back, Spiro replied, "There is no looming threat. This case is over. This case will never be brought back. It wasn't a real case in the first place."
"Any case could always be revived," Spiro later added. "There's no reason to think a case built on this shaky foundation will ever be brought again by any office, ever."
U.S. Attorney Pam Bondi said Wednesday she was unaware the case hadn't been dropped, telling reporters, "that case should be dropped."
"This mayor was compromised"
Ahead of Spiro's news conference, New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams appeared in an interview on NY1 and said there are three reasons why "every New Yorker should be concerned right now." He questioned how the mayor will be able to run the city while there is a chance the case may come back, and he also raised concerns that the mayor was able to "sidestep" the justice system.
"The last part is very, very concerning. The DOJ literally said one of the reasons they are going to discharge this is they need the mayor to be able to assist in opening up doors for mass deportation for the people of New York City. That is horrifying," Williams said.
"You only need one of your senses to be able to know that this mayor was compromised, and the DOJ has literally said that in this letter. They have literally said the quid pro quo that exists," Williams continued, going on to say, "In no way did I think they would spell it out so plainly."
When asked how Gov. Kathy Hochul, who has the power to remove Adams from office, should handle the situation, Williams replied, "I do know that this mayor cannot govern this city. That is very clear."
The public advocate would be next in line to become mayor if Adams were to resign or be removed.
Hochul said Tuesday she will "continue monitoring the situation."
"Do I think he's compromised? That is speculation. I don't know, I don't know whether anyone is compromised in that situation, truly, do not know. I have to believe that the mayor is going to put the interests of New York City first," she said.
Other lawmakers also questioned the mayor's intentions, speculating about his recent meetings with President Trump.
"The mayor has made it clear he's standing up for just himself," said New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, who is running to replace Adams in this year's mayoral election.
"Standing up to Trump means replacing this mayor," said Zohran Mamdani, who is also running against Adams.
Adams' message to New Yorkers
The mayor spoke publicly about the case Tuesday, maintaining his innocence.
"I would never put any personal benefit above my solemn responsibility as your mayor," he said in a brief appearance.
He called the case a 15-month ordeal and said he wants to move on.
"I understand that many New Yorkers will still question my character, and I know that I must continue to regain your trust," he said.
Adams did not attend his attorney's news conference Wednesday. According to his schedule, he met with senior administration officials in the morning, and was to attend a town hall in Queens later in the afternoon.
He is also scheduled to meet with border czar Tom Homan on Thursday. With immigration still a top concern, sources tell CBS News it's possible the NYPD will work with federal agents on enforcement.
