Judge sets hearing to discuss dropping charges against NYC mayor

A US federal judge has ordered the Trump Justice Department to appear in court Wednesday to explain its extraordinary decision to drop corruption charges against New York Mayor Eric Adams, a move that triggered a wave of protest resignations.

US District Judge Dale Ho, who is presiding over the case, has ordered the embattled mayor of the largest US city and Justice Department prosecutors to attend a 2 p.m. (1900 GMT) hearing in Manhattan to discuss the reasons for dismissing the charges.

In asking last week for the case against Adams to be dropped, acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove says the prosecution was restricting the Democratic mayor’s “ability to devote full attention and resources to illegal immigration and violent crime.”

The unusual request prompted allegations that it was a quid pro quo in exchange for Adams agreeing to enforce Republican President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown — a claim denied by the mayor.

“I want to be crystal clear with New Yorkers: I never offered — nor did anyone offer on my behalf — any trade of my authority as your mayor for an end to my case,” he says.

Adams, who pleaded not guilty in September to charges of fraud and bribery, has been under growing pressure to resign.

On Monday, the head of New York’s city council called on the mayor, who is facing reelection in November, to step down and four deputy mayors announced that they were resigning.

Governor Kathy Hochul, who has the power to remove Adams from office, was meeting with “key leaders” on Tuesday to discuss what she called a “path forward with the goal of ensuring stability for the City of New York.”