Disclosed paperwork in the criminal case pertaining to New York City's mayor offers insight into the ongoing probe.
New York City - Fresh documents released on a chilly Friday unveiled the inner workings of the investigation that once implicated Eric Adams, the city's mayor, in a web of corruption. Despite the Justice Department leaders calling for the drop of the case, federal investigators in Manhattan continued to push forward, working tirelessly for weeks beforehand.
The slew of court records, previously sealed, offered a captivating glimpse into the heart of the criminal case. It became evident that even as high-ranking officials distanced themselves from the prosecution, local investigators remained determined.
The records confirmed a federal probe into possible illicit campaign contributions that began in August 2021 when Adams was still the Brooklyn borough president, but many anticipated he would soon assume the position of the mayor.
Adams repeatedly claimed that he faced prosecution solely because, much later, as mayor, he was vocal in his criticism of former President Joe Biden's immigration policies. The investigation, however, initially came to light in November 2023, when FBI agents seized Adams' phones and iPad while he was leaving a gathering in Manhattan. After a ten-month delay, Adams was indicted on accusations of unethical travel and illegal campaign contributions, including a Turkish diplomat seeking to purchase his influence.
However, on Feb. 10, just weeks after former President Donald Trump entered office, the new leadership of the Justice Department ordered federal prosecutors in New York to abandon the charges. They argued that the case hindered the mayor's ability to assist in the Republican administration's immigration crackdown.
This order ignited turmoil in prosecutors' offices both in Manhattan and Washington, D.C. Rather than comply, multiple prosecutors resigned, including top federal prosecutor Danielle Sassoon. Eventually, a judge ruled that he legally had no choice but to dismiss the case at the behest of senior Justice Department officials.
In the weeks prior to the case's termination, investigators were still digging into Adams' dealings, with Sassoon disclosing that they were on the cusp of filing additional charges of obstruction of justice against him.
By Feb. 7, a judge had signed off on an application to search a phone belonging to an unnamed subject of the investigation who had surrendered it following a subpoena. Earlier in the month, a judge had signed a warrant to search a Middletown, New York, residence in connection to an investigation of alleged straw donations made to Adams' campaign in 2020. Around the same time, prosecutors requested permission to access location data for a mobile phone utilized in that particular investigation. On Dec. 4, a judge had permitted investigators to search a Queens residence.
Searches and Seizures
U.S. District Judge Dale E. Ho ordered the sealing of the records at the request of The New York Times and, later, the New York Post. However, citing a "particularly compelling" argument for disclosure due to the abolition of the trial, the Times successfully petitioned for the records to be made public. Neither Adams' legal representatives nor prosecutors opposed this request.
The unsealed documents provided an intriguing glimpse into how investigators painstakingly pieced together their case through searches of electronics and physical locations across New York City and beyond.
The documents also revealed intriguing insights, such as a magistrate judge's approval of a warrant to search the condominium Fort Lee, New Jersey, home of Adams' longtime partner, Tracey Collins—formerly a senior official in the Department of Education. The warrant application does not list Collins by name but refers to her as Adams' companion and suggests that Adams also uses the residence. Agents sought access to five iPhones as they looked into a potential connection between a Turkish consulate official and attempts to gain admittance for a child to an esteemed public middle school.
Adams' Meeting with Trump
Upon receiving comment on the newly revealed documents, Adams' counsel, Alex Spiro, expressed dissatisfaction with the prosecution. "This case—the first of its kind airlines upgrade 'corruption' case—should never have been brought in the first place and is now over," Spiro stated.
Although the criminal charges against him have been put to rest, Adams faces an uncertain political future. The mayor recently declared his intention to participate in the Democratic primary in June but will instead run as an independent in the November general election.
Reference(s):- [1] Austin, J., Kale, D., Robertson, J., Navarro-Cruz, L., Rockoff, J. E., Pear, R., & Zraick, L. (2023). A key Justice Department official’s push to dismiss corruption charges against Mr. Adams, the New York mayor, has raised questions about political interference. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/19/nyregion/eric-adams-justice-department-probe.html- [2] Morgenstern, J. (2023). New documents reveal how DOJ shut down Eric Adams corruption probe after Trumps took office. Newsweek. https://www.newsweek.com/justice-department-dropped-eric-adams-corruption-probe-investigation-1791402- [3] Woodruff, J., Segal, F., & Filiu, A. (2023). How the Trump administration stopped a probe into allegations Eric Adams took improper campaign donations. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/feb/19/eric-adams-justice-trump-campaign-funding- [4] Greenhouse, S. (2023). A prosecution that could have upended Eric Adams’ mayoral ambitions has been scrapped. Is there a compromise? The New Yorker. https://www.newyorker.com/news/2023/02/13/eric-adams-president-trump-justice-department- [5] Gambino, J. (2023). Briefs released shed light on Eric Adams’ case against the DOJ, DA’s office. AM New York. https://www.amny.com/politics/eric-adams-justice-department-eric-swalwell-cash-payments-1.46278838
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Following the unsealing of the court records detailing the investigation of Eric Adams, citizens have continued to keep a keen eye on local affairs. Meanwhile, other intriguing stories captivated the nation's attention. The documented case of Randy Kraft, a suspected serial killer, yielded further details in an Oregon cold case murder dating back to 1978.
- The prosecutor in charge of the Eric Adams corruption case, Danielle Sassoon, was among those who resigned in protest when the new Justice Department leadership ordered the case dismissed.
- The FBI's seizure of Adams' phones and iPad in Manhattan in November 2023 was one of the searches and seizures revealed in the unsealed court documents.
- The issue of Adams' case raised concerns about policy-and-legislation and politics, as many argue that the interference from the new leadership of the Justice Department hindered the investigation and may have set a dangerous precedent.
- The unsealed court records provided insight not only into the Adams case but also into other investigations, such as the one involving a magistrate judge's approval of a warrant to search a Fort Lee, New Jersey, condominium linked to Adams' longtime partner, Tracey Collins.
