NYC Mayor Eric Adams, no longer under the cloud of a corruption probe, made it clear Wednesday that he’s staying in the race and plans to secure a second term, following a decisive ruling from a federal judge that ended the case against him.
Speaking briefly in front of Gracie Mansion, Adams told the city this marked a turning point for both himself and the people of New York.
“I also want to apologize to New Yorkers for having to go through this with me — a baseless case that should have never been brought in the first place,” he said. “The lies — spread through false leaks and splashed across sensational headlines — and all of the distractions.
“But what I want you to know that I never stopped working for you. Not for one day.”
To close his remarks, Adams lifted up a book titled Government Gangsters: The Deep State, the Truth, and the Battle for Our Democracy by Kash Patel, who served as FBI Director under President Trump. He credited the book with helping him endure the ordeal.
The statement came just hours after Manhattan federal Judge Dale Ho issued a long-anticipated ruling on whether to allow the Justice Department’s unusual request to dismiss the case.
Judge Ho ruled to drop the case permanently – a dismissal with prejudice – preventing prosecutors from revisiting the charges in the future.
The judge’s decision went beyond what federal prosecutors had asked for, as they sought to drop the case without prejudice, which would have left the door open to refiling charges. Ho sharply criticized that request, saying it appeared politically motivated.
“Everything here smacks of a bargain: dismissal of the Indictment in exchange for immigration policy concessions,” Ho wrote.
He also emphasized that his decision should not be interpreted as a comment on the truth or falsehood of the underlying claims, which accused Adams of accepting luxury trips from Turkish nationals in return for political assistance.
“Neither the dismissal of the Indictment, nor the length of this Opinion, should be understood as any kind of statement about the merits of the allegations against the Mayor in the Indictment,” Ho wrote.
With the case dismissed, Adams can now turn his full attention to campaigning without the specter of legal trouble looming over him – a case that had seriously eroded both his public approval and re-election prospects.
The mayor, who once made near-daily appearances on the campaign trail, has been less visible in recent weeks. He even withdrew from a debate at the last moment on the advice of his legal team, giving his opponents repeated opportunities to criticize him in his absence.
Now, with the legal matter behind him, Adams must quickly pivot. By midnight Thursday, he’s required to submit a minimum of 3,750 signatures to qualify for the Democratic primary.
As he walked away from the podium, a reporter called out to ask if he still planned to seek re-election.
“You know what, I’m going to win,” he replied.
{Matzav.com}The post NYC Mayor Eric Adams Responds To ‘Baseless’ Criminal Charges Getting Tossed — And Is Confident He’ll Win Re-Election first appeared on Matzav.com.