New York City Mayor Eric Adams is in a state of legal and political purgatory. The first-term Democrat is waiting on a judge to rule on a Justice Department request to dismiss a federal indictment charging him with accepting lavish travel perks and illegal campaign contributions from foreign interests seeking to buy his influence. And he’s waiting on the political fallout — namely, whether Gov. Kathy Hochul will go beyond guardrails and seek to remove him from office amid concerns that he’s compromised his independence by relying on President Donald Trump’s administration to end his criminal case. Adams testified under oath at a hearing Wednesday on the Justice Department’s request, insisting there was no quid pro quo arrangement to shelve his criminal case. But a lawyer for the government argued that dropping the case was necessary to ensure Adams could aid Trump’s immigration crackdown — a highly unusual rationale that has reinforced concerns that the mayor is now beholden to the Republican administration. Here’s a look at where things stand: What is the judge deciding? U.S. District Judge Dale E. Ho is weighing a Justice Department request to dismiss the criminal case against Adams, which includes charges of conspiracy, wire fraud soliciting illegal campaign contributions and soliciting and accepting a bribe. Acting Deputy U.S. Attorney General Emil Bove argued that the Justice Department is simply exercising “prosecutorial discretion” based on a Trump executive order that aims to end the “weaponization of prosecutorial power.” Bove, the department’s second-in-command, said the charges are impeding Adams’ ability to govern and his campaign for a second term. Dropping the case, he said, is necessary to ensure Adams can assist in the Republican president’s national security and immigration enforcement initiatives. The Justice Department is seeking the option to revive the case at a later date, and Bove has said the new, permanent Manhattan U.S. attorney will review the matter after the November election. Adams has pleaded not guilty and denies wrongdoing. Is anyone objecting to the government’s request? Yes. Seven prosecutors have resigned in protest, including Manhattan’s top federal prosecutor, who quit rather than follow Bove’s directive to drop the case. Interim U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon, a Republican, accused Adams’ lawyers of offering a “quid pro quo” on immigration and said it’s “a breathtaking and dangerous precedent” to reward Adams for his “opportunistic and shifting commitments on immigration and other policy matters.” Another prosecutor, Hagan Scotten, wrote in his resignation letter: “No system of ordered liberty can allow the Government to use the carrot of dismissing charges, or the stick of threatening to bring them again, to induce an elected official to support its policy objectives.” On Friday, seven former Manhattan U.S. attorneys, including James Comey, Geoffrey S. Berman and Mary Jo White issued a statement lauding Sassoon’s “commitment to integrity and the rule of law.” A former Watergate prosecutor filed papers asking Ho to reject the government’s request and consider appointing an independent special prosecutor to try the case. When will Ho decide? The judge did not set a timetable but indicated he’ll rule soon. “It’s not in anyone’s interest here for this to drag on,” Ho said as he wrapped up the 80-minute hearing on Wednesday. “But to exercise my discretion properly, I’m not going to shoot from the hip right here on the bench.” Ho acknowledged his role is “quite narrow.” Judges rarely reject […]