Chad Mizelle, the Chief of Staff at the Department of Justice under the leadership of Attorney General Pam Bondi, explained on Wednesday the decision to drop the criminal charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D).
Critics have accused Adams and the Trump administration of corruption after the new administration dropped federal bribery charges against Adams, alleging a deal was made in exchange for Adams complying with federal immigration authorities.
“Prosecutorial misconduct and political agendas will no longer be tolerated,” Mizelle posted on X. “The case against Mayor Adams was just one in a long history of past DOJ actions that represent grave errors of judgement. This DOJ is going back to basics.”
Mizelle said there were “unique concerns” surrounding the decision to prosecute Adams because he is the mayor of America’s largest city.
He said that the problem with the case centered around the legal theories used to build it and recent losses by the DOJ at the Supreme Court in similar cases.
Mizelle continued:
Clearly, this history and case law underscores the legal risks associated with prosecuting Mayor Adams. DOJ could win a bribery conviction against a public official only by showing some official act in exchange for benefits.
The alleged official act in the indictment, however, took place before Adams was mayor. And one of the main benefits that the Mayor allegedly received was campaign contributions. But all successful politicians, no matter the party, receive campaign contributions.
In the Adams case, SDNY was rolling the dice. And given the DOJ’s abysmal history of losing at the Supreme Court, the odds were against the DOJ. Even the district judge said at a recent hearing that there was “some force” to Adams’s challenges to the gov’ts central legal theory.
The government must tread particularly carefully before classifying contributions a crime given the First Amendment implications of such a theory.
He added that prosecuting the case would take an enormous amount of resources — totaling many thousands of man hours — that he said could be better spent “arresting violent criminals to keep New York safe or prosecuting gang and cartel members.”
Mizelle’s statement comes as New York Democrat Governor Kathy Hochul suggested this week that she might remove Adams from office due to the “alleged conduct” that has occurred at City Hall in recent weeks.
Hochul’s statement came after four top officials resigned from Adams’ administration — Deputy Mayors Maria Torres-Springer, Anne Williams-Isom, Meera Joshi, and Chauncey Parker — because of recent developments.
“I recognize the immense responsibility I hold as governor and the constitutional powers granted to this office,” she continued. “In the 235 years of New York State history, these powers have never been utilized to remove a duly-elected mayor; overturning the will of the voters is a serious step that should not be taken lightly. That said, the alleged conduct at City Hall that has been reported over the past two weeks is troubling and cannot be ignored.”
Adams was indicted in September on one count of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, Federal Program Bribery, and to Receive Campaign Contributions By Foreign Nationals; one count of Wire Fraud; one count of Bribery, and two counts of Solicitation of a Contribution by a Foreign National.
Prosecutors had alleged that Adams began soliciting and accepting improper benefits as a public official dating back to 2014, including luxury international travel from wealthy foreign businesspeople and at least one Turkish government official seeking to gain influence over him.
Adams “not only accepted, but sought illegal campaign contributions to his 2021 mayoral campaign, as well as other things of value, from foreign nationals,” the indictment said.
Prosecutors said those who had illegally donated to Adams’ campaign sought to cash in on their investment and were rewarded with “favorable treatment.”
Adams “sought and accepted illegal campaign contributions in the form of ‘nominee’ or ‘straw’ contributions, meaning that the true contributors conveyed their money through nominal donors, who falsely certified they were contributing their own money,” the indictment said.
He allegedly compounded his corrupt gains by using them to defraud the city and steal from public funds.
“New York City has a matching funds program that matches small-dollar contributions from individual City residents with up to eight times their amount in public funds, to give New Yorkers a greater voice in elections,” the indictment said. “Adam’s campaigns applied for matching funds based on known straw donations, fraudulently obtaining as much as $2,000 in public funds for each illegal contribution.”
Adams sought and received improper benefits from some of the foreigners illegally funding his campaign, court documents alleged, including paying for numerous luxury travel benefits that totaled $100,000.
The mayor “and others working at his direction, repeatedly took steps to shield his solicitation and acceptance of these benefits from public scrutiny,” the indictment said. “Adams did not disclose the travel benefits he had obtained in annual financial disclosures he was required to file as a New York City employee. Sometimes, Adams agreed to pay a nominal fee to create the appearance of having paid for travel that was in fact heavily discounted. Other times, Adams created and instructed others to create fake paper trails, falsely suggesting that he had paid.”
According to the indictment, one of the Turkish officials who gave to Adams told him in September 2021 that it was his turn to repay the illegal donations he received by “pressuring the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) to facilitate the opening of a new Turkish consular building – a 36-story skyscraper – without a fire inspection, in time for a high-profile visit by Turkey’s president.”
“At the time, the building would have failed an FDNY inspection,” the indictment said. “In exchange for free travel and other travel-related bribes in 2021 and 2022 arranged by the Turkish Official, Adams did as instructed. Because of Adams’s pressure on the FDNY, the FDNY official responsible for the FDNY’s assessment of the skyscraper’s fire safety was told that he would lose his job if he failed to acquiesce, and, after ADAMS intervened, the skyscraper opened as requested by the Turkish Official.”
If convicted on all charges, Adams faced up to 45 years in prison.
[#item_full_content]
[[{“value”:”
Chad Mizelle, the Chief of Staff at the Department of Justice under the leadership of Attorney General Pam Bondi, explained on Wednesday the decision to drop the criminal charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D).
Critics have accused Adams and the Trump administration of corruption after the new administration dropped federal bribery charges against Adams, alleging a deal was made in exchange for Adams complying with federal immigration authorities.
“Prosecutorial misconduct and political agendas will no longer be tolerated,” Mizelle posted on X. “The case against Mayor Adams was just one in a long history of past DOJ actions that represent grave errors of judgement. This DOJ is going back to basics.”
Mizelle said there were “unique concerns” surrounding the decision to prosecute Adams because he is the mayor of America’s largest city.
He said that the problem with the case centered around the legal theories used to build it and recent losses by the DOJ at the Supreme Court in similar cases.
Mizelle continued:
Clearly, this history and case law underscores the legal risks associated with prosecuting Mayor Adams. DOJ could win a bribery conviction against a public official only by showing some official act in exchange for benefits.
The alleged official act in the indictment, however, took place before Adams was mayor. And one of the main benefits that the Mayor allegedly received was campaign contributions. But all successful politicians, no matter the party, receive campaign contributions.
In the Adams case, SDNY was rolling the dice. And given the DOJ’s abysmal history of losing at the Supreme Court, the odds were against the DOJ. Even the district judge said at a recent hearing that there was “some force” to Adams’s challenges to the gov’ts central legal theory.
The government must tread particularly carefully before classifying contributions a crime given the First Amendment implications of such a theory.
He added that prosecuting the case would take an enormous amount of resources — totaling many thousands of man hours — that he said could be better spent “arresting violent criminals to keep New York safe or prosecuting gang and cartel members.”
Mizelle’s statement comes as New York Democrat Governor Kathy Hochul suggested this week that she might remove Adams from office due to the “alleged conduct” that has occurred at City Hall in recent weeks.
Hochul’s statement came after four top officials resigned from Adams’ administration — Deputy Mayors Maria Torres-Springer, Anne Williams-Isom, Meera Joshi, and Chauncey Parker — because of recent developments.
“I recognize the immense responsibility I hold as governor and the constitutional powers granted to this office,” she continued. “In the 235 years of New York State history, these powers have never been utilized to remove a duly-elected mayor; overturning the will of the voters is a serious step that should not be taken lightly. That said, the alleged conduct at City Hall that has been reported over the past two weeks is troubling and cannot be ignored.”
Adams was indicted in September on one count of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, Federal Program Bribery, and to Receive Campaign Contributions By Foreign Nationals; one count of Wire Fraud; one count of Bribery, and two counts of Solicitation of a Contribution by a Foreign National.
Prosecutors had alleged that Adams began soliciting and accepting improper benefits as a public official dating back to 2014, including luxury international travel from wealthy foreign businesspeople and at least one Turkish government official seeking to gain influence over him.
Adams “not only accepted, but sought illegal campaign contributions to his 2021 mayoral campaign, as well as other things of value, from foreign nationals,” the indictment said.
Prosecutors said those who had illegally donated to Adams’ campaign sought to cash in on their investment and were rewarded with “favorable treatment.”
Adams “sought and accepted illegal campaign contributions in the form of ‘nominee’ or ‘straw’ contributions, meaning that the true contributors conveyed their money through nominal donors, who falsely certified they were contributing their own money,” the indictment said.
He allegedly compounded his corrupt gains by using them to defraud the city and steal from public funds.
“New York City has a matching funds program that matches small-dollar contributions from individual City residents with up to eight times their amount in public funds, to give New Yorkers a greater voice in elections,” the indictment said. “Adam’s campaigns applied for matching funds based on known straw donations, fraudulently obtaining as much as $2,000 in public funds for each illegal contribution.”
Adams sought and received improper benefits from some of the foreigners illegally funding his campaign, court documents alleged, including paying for numerous luxury travel benefits that totaled $100,000.
The mayor “and others working at his direction, repeatedly took steps to shield his solicitation and acceptance of these benefits from public scrutiny,” the indictment said. “Adams did not disclose the travel benefits he had obtained in annual financial disclosures he was required to file as a New York City employee. Sometimes, Adams agreed to pay a nominal fee to create the appearance of having paid for travel that was in fact heavily discounted. Other times, Adams created and instructed others to create fake paper trails, falsely suggesting that he had paid.”
According to the indictment, one of the Turkish officials who gave to Adams told him in September 2021 that it was his turn to repay the illegal donations he received by “pressuring the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) to facilitate the opening of a new Turkish consular building – a 36-story skyscraper – without a fire inspection, in time for a high-profile visit by Turkey’s president.”
“At the time, the building would have failed an FDNY inspection,” the indictment said. “In exchange for free travel and other travel-related bribes in 2021 and 2022 arranged by the Turkish Official, Adams did as instructed. Because of Adams’s pressure on the FDNY, the FDNY official responsible for the FDNY’s assessment of the skyscraper’s fire safety was told that he would lose his job if he failed to acquiesce, and, after ADAMS intervened, the skyscraper opened as requested by the Turkish Official.”
If convicted on all charges, Adams faced up to 45 years in prison.
“}]]
