LEILA FADEL, HOST:
Some breaking news out of New York City this morning. The federal corruption and bribery case against Mayor Eric Adams, a Democrat, has officially been dismissed. Federal judge Dale Ho signed off on the dismissal nearly two months after officials from President Trump's Justice Department demanded the case be dropped. Their request generated a public outcry and spurred a mass resignation of senior federal prosecutors. Brigid Bergin of member Station WNYC joins me now with the latest. Hey, Brigid.
BRIGID BERGIN, BYLINE: Hey, Leila.
FADEL: OK. So this has been a roller coaster of a story. So just remind us what this case is all about and how we got here.
BERGIN: Yeah, so I mean, we go back to September, and that's when federal prosecutors actually charged the mayor with accepting illegal campaign contributions and nearly $100,000 in luxury travel perks in exchange for official government acts like speeding the fire safety approvals for a new Turkish consulate in Manhattan, even though experts said the building was still unsafe. The mayor has always insisted he did nothing wrong. And he attributed this case to political punishment from the Biden administration because Adams, as you mentioned, a fellow Democrat, spoke out against the migrant crisis and how it was hitting New York City. Fast-forward to February, the Justice Department sent a memo to acting U.S. attorney for the Southern District calling for the case to be dropped without prejudice. And that means the charges could be brought back at any time. Justice Department officials argued that the case was preventing the mayor from assisting the Trump administration with its immigration enforcement. They also said it was too close to his reelection, which is happening this year. Multiple prosecutors resigned over the memo. But they said it represented a quid pro quo, and we've been waiting for this decision from Judge Ho ever since.
FADEL: And that decision is here. What did Judge Ho say about why he was dismissing the case?
BERGIN: I mean, just very, you know, succinctly, you know, he said there's no evidence that there was improper motives by anyone in the Justice Department - any federal prosecutors - in bringing this indictment against the mayor. And he noted that everything here, quote, "smacks of a bargain," dismissal of the indictment in exchange for immigration policy concessions. However, you know, he did approve the dismissal and he did it with prejudice, which means the charges cannot be brought back. And that's to avoid any sort of sense that the mayor is at the Trump administration's beck and call.
FADEL: What reaction are you hearing in New York?
BERGIN: Well, I caught up with New York Attorney General Letitia James this morning. She says she hopes this means Mayor Adams and his administration will be free to defend the rights of New Yorkers, as her office is doing. I should note that Adams has avoided criticizing Trump or his policies. And specifically, she wondered about litigation the city has against the Trump administration over some $80 million used to pay for migrant shelters that the Trump administration clawed back.
FADEL: Has - oh, go ahead.
BERGIN: She's hoping that there will be, you know, more fight on some of these issues from the Trump - from the Adams administration.
FADEL: And what is Mayor Adams saying?
BERGIN: You know, he had a press conference this morning related to retail theft, some, you know, regular mayoral duties. We have not yet heard a statement from his office or any comments from him on this but I am sure we will sometime today.
FADEL: Brigid Bergin of member station WNYC. Thank you, Brigid, for this reporting.
BERGIN: Thank you. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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