New York Mayor Eric Adams decides to close part of the corruption case

Federal prosecutors accused Adams, in part, of accepting more than $100,000 in luxury travel from Turkish officials and, in 2021, pressuring New York City firefighters to They are speeding up a security inspection of a new Turkish consulate. Adams asked U.S. District Judge Dale Ho, appointed by President Joe Biden, to dismiss “Count V.”

Defense attorney Alex Spiro argued that the indictment against the mayor does not prove that Adams performed an official act in exchange for the benefits, as is required for a corruption charge.

“He alleges only that while serving as Brooklyn borough president, he generally agreed to assist in the ‘operation’ or ‘regulation’ of the Turkish consulate, where he had no authority.” said Spiro, a famous lawyer who helped actor Alec Baldwin get his manslaughter charges dropped in the case.

The defense also argued that Adams’ actions, such as sending three messages to the fire marshal, fell within normal, lawful activities that any city official might undertake for a foreign consulate.

Overall, the defense argued that federal law requires a clear promise to perform an official act in exchange for a benefit for the conduct to qualify as bribery.

In Adams’ case, the allegations are too vague, according to Spiro, who said the indictment does not directly tie benefits, such as travel perks, to specific government action. Instead, the defense said the actions described, such as offering general assistance to foreign diplomats, are common for public officials and do not meet legal standards for corruption.​

Spiro held a news conference from his office Monday that included a slideshow explaining his motion, including accusations that prosecutors in the Southern District of New York office leaked grand jury information to the media before charges against Adams’ announcement Wednesday, calling the alleged disclosure a crime, according to a reporter Law360.

The defense attorney’s assertions marked a striking change in tone in the ongoing case against Adams, a move that appears to be an attempt to flip the script and accuse federal prosecutors and the FBI of wrongdoing.

Adams also added William Burck and former federal prosecutor Avi Perry to his defense team on Monday. Burck has represented a number of notable clients, including assisting Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh in his confirmation to the Supreme Court, as well as advising Robert Hur, who served as special counsel in the documents investigation Biden’s classified files and questioned the president’s mental acuity.

Adams was arraigned Friday and pleaded not guilty to five charges, including bribery and soliciting illegal campaign contributions from foreign nationals. Spiro seeks to dismiss all five counts, arguing they do not meet legal standards for criminal activity.

Republicans and Democrats are calling for Adams’ resignation, although some Republicans have raised questions about the timing of the federal investigation so soon after the mayor’s aggressive tone against Biden’s immigration policies.

The mayor spent Sunday speaking to a congregation at Emmanuel Reformed Presbyterian Church in the Bronx borough, according to the New York Post, where he reiterated his promise to remain in office.

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“God placed me in this moment and in my heart to continue to move this city forward,” Adams said. “I’m not going to resign. I will reign.

Adams is expected to return to court Wednesday, where he will appear before the district judge for the first time since the indictment was returned last week.