New York City Mayor Eric Adams is maintaining his innocence and vowing to regain the trust of New Yorkers.
NEW YORK (WABC) — New York City Mayor Eric Adams broke his silence on Tuesday and denied he broke the law after the Justice Department instructed federal prosecutors to dismiss bribery charges filed against him.
The DOJ’s directive asked that the case be dismissed without prejudice. The directive from Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove suggested that the case was biased, hurt Adams’ re-election bid, and impacted his ability to help the Trump administration crackdown on illegal immigration.
On Tuesday afternoon, Adams continued to deny he broke the law while thanking the Trump administration’s Justice Department “for its honesty.” He declared an end to the criminal case that he insisted was politically motivated.
“Let me be clear, I never asked anyone to break the law on my behalf or on behalf of my campaign, never, and I absolutely never traded my power as an elected official for any personal benefit,” Adams said. “I thank the Justice Department for its honesty. Now we can put this cruel episode behind us and focus entirely on the future of our city. It’s time to move forward.”
Adams acknowledged that many New Yorkers will still not trust him.
“Despite the fact that I am no longer facing legal questions, I also understand that many New Yorkers will still question my character, and I know that I must continue to regain your trust,” he said. “I’ve learned a lot over the last year, and this experience has been humbling.”
The mayor said said this concluded “the most difficult 15 months of my life.”
RELATED: More coverage of the Eric Adams investigation
Adams pleaded not guilty last September to bribery and conspiracy — that he accepted campaign donations and luxury travel from Turkish citizens and government officials and that he fast-tracked a certificate of occupancy for the Turkish Consulate.
But Adams had criticized the Biden Administration for saddling the city with the migrant crisis. The indictment, he claimed, was retribution.
After Donald Trump expressed empathy, Adams later said he would not criticize Trump in public and said workers and city officials could cooperate with ICE agents.
On Tuesday night, Trump Border Czar Tom Homan announced plans to meet with Adams about arresting undocumented suspects in crimes in the city.
“I’m hoping we can come to an agreement where his officers can help my officers remove these public safety threats,” Homan said. “Especially Tren de Aragua, the other alien gangs that are creating havoc in New York. So, I’m coming up Thursday for a sit-down. So, let’s hope Thursday night I head back to D.C. with a great agreement.”
It comes after word arrived Monday night in the memo from Washington that federal prosecutors were ordered to drop the case against the mayor.
“It cannot be ignored that Mayor Adams criticized the prior Administration’s immigration policies before the charges were filed,” the memo said. And that the case “has unduly restricted Mayor Adams’ ability to devote full attention and resources to the illegal immigration and violent crime that escalated under the policies of the prior Administration.”
But the Justice Department could revisit the case after the November mayoral election.
Rev. Al Sharpton says that is a problem.
“It certainly sounds like President Trump is holding the Mayor hostage,” he said. “I have supported the Mayor, but he has been put in an unfair position – even for him – of essentially political blackmail.”
Gov Kathy Hochul, who has the power to remove Adams, seemed to express support for the mayor and said she will continue to monitor the situation.
She said she “cleaned house” and “stabilized” city government after the mayor was indicted, and she will continue “working with him.”
“The mayor needs to stay focused” on the issues of the city, she said, “that has to be his laser focus. And I’m going to continue to make sure that continues to be his focus. It has to be what we are all working towards to protect New Yorkers.”
Jennifer Jones Austin, CEO of the Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies, shares her reaction.
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Some information from ABC News and the Associated Press
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New York City Mayor Eric Adams is maintaining his innocence and vowing to regain the trust of New Yorkers.