A federal judge on Friday delayed New York City mayor Eric Adams’s (D.) trial indefinitely but declined to immediately dismiss the corruption case, leaving the Justice Department’s request to drop the charges in limbo.
Judge Dale Ho ruled that he will instead appoint an outside attorney, Paul Clement, to argue against the DOJ’s attempt to dismiss the case, Reuters reported. Ho will listen to arguments from both the Justice Department and Clement and weigh whether dropping the charges serves the public interest.
The DOJ last week directed federal prosecutors to drop the case against Adams, who was set to face trial in April on charges of bribery, wire fraud, and soliciting illegal campaign contributions. The investigation, according to a DOJ memo, “improperly interfered” with Adams’s 2025 reelection campaign and “unduly restricted [his] ability to devote full attention and resources to the illegal immigration and violent crime.”
Adams in recent days also faced pressure to resign, with four of his deputy mayors announcing their resignations to protest the Justice Department’s request. New York governor Kathy Hochul (D.) ultimately decided on Thursday not to remove Adams from office, though said she will limit his authority and increase oversight over the mayor’s office.
