Will New York's mayor survive widening scandal?

Summary

Consider This from NPR: Will New York's Mayor Survive Widening Scandal?
Released on February 18, 2025

---

Introduction to the Scandal

The episode delves into the escalating political scandal surrounding New York City Mayor Eric Adams. Mary Louise Kelly opens the discussion by highlighting a series of concerning numbers that encapsulate the depth of the crisis:

• 5 Criminal Charges: Filed against Adams late last year, these charges accuse him of leveraging various city offices over nearly a decade to secure extravagant vacations and illicit campaign contributions.
• 5 Charges Dropped: Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bovey ordered federal prosecutors to dismiss these charges earlier this month, citing that the indictment hampers Mayor Adams' ability to tackle illegal immigration and violent crime within the city.
• 4 Resignations: Adams witnessed the resignation of four of his top deputies yesterday, effectively decimating his senior leadership team. This follows a trend of key officials exiting his administration.
• 235 Years of Authority: Governor Kathy Hochul possesses the authority, established 235 years ago, to remove the mayor should they deem them unfit to govern—a power she has never exercised until now.

Mary Louise Kelly sums up the situation:
"The nation's biggest city has been all but paralyzed by the legal and political problems of its mayor. What's next for Eric Adams? And what does the scandal tell us about the Trump Justice Department?"
[00:00]

Governor Hochul's Response

Governor Kathy Hochul is at the forefront of deliberating Mayor Adams' political fate. Over the past day, she engaged in several closed-door meetings with influential New York City politicians and civic leaders, including Reverend Al Sharpton and Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, the House Democratic Minority Leader. These discussions centered on Adams' capacity to continue his tenure amidst the burgeoning scandal.

Brian Mann reports:
"Hogul spent the day holding closed-door, one-on-one meetings with some of New York City's most influential politicians and civic leaders… In her statement, Hochul said Adams' alleged conduct at City Hall is troubling and cannot be ignored. She made it clear that removing Adams from office is a real possibility, but so far, she has not pulled that trigger."
[03:04]

Conversations and Political Tone

The tone of the conversations between Hochul and city leaders is increasingly critical. Congressman Jeffries expressed severe concerns about Adams' leadership:

"It's a deeply disturbing development. Mayor Adams has a responsibility to decisively demonstrate to the people of New York City that he has the capacity to continue to govern in the best interest of New Yorkers, as opposed to taking orders from the Trump administration."
— Hakeem Jeffries
[04:08]

Brian Mann elaborates on the deteriorating confidence in Adams:
"Confidence in Adams' ability to lead has been shattered."
[03:50]

Eric Adams' Ties to the Trump Administration

Mayor Adams' relationship with the Trump administration is under intense scrutiny. Initially indicted in September on federal corruption and bribery charges—which he denies—Adams sought to mitigate these charges by aligning closely with Trump and the Justice Department's new leadership. Critics, including a DOJ attorney, allege a quid pro quo arrangement: Adams' cooperation on immigration matters in exchange for the suspension of his criminal charges.

Brian Mann explains:
"After President Trump was elected, Adams and his legal team started courting Trump's team and the new leadership at the Justice Department, they looked for those very serious charges to be dropped. Critics… say Adams team offered a quid pro quo here. You know, shelve these criminal charges. And in return, New York City's administration will help crack down on undocumented migrants."
[04:33]

DOJ's Handling of Politically Sensitive Cases

The episode shifts focus to the broader implications of Adams' case on the Department of Justice (DOJ). Kerry Johnson discusses the perceived pattern of leniency towards individuals with ties to former President Trump:

"Steven Salzberg says this actually started on Inauguration Day with Trump's clemency for more than 1,500 people who took part in the Capitol riot. He says it looks like Trump wanted to cut those people a break because they were acting on his behalf."
— Kerry Johnson
[07:07]

The leniency extends beyond Adams, with the DOJ having recently dismissed cases against other Republican figures, including former Nebraska Congressman Jeff Fortenberry and Republican Congressman Andy Ogles, who introduced a bill facilitating Trump's potential third-term run.

Steven Salzberg adds:
"There are patterns that we haven't really seen in the past. None of the patterns inspire a lot of confidence that the department is being evenhanded in its approach to cases."
— Steven Salzberg
[06:55]

Impact on Eric Adams' Future

The future of Mayor Adams remains uncertain. With four top deputies resigning and the potential for Governor Hochul to leverage her authority to remove him, the political landscape is rapidly shifting. Judge Dale Ho is set to review the DOJ's request to suspend the criminal charges against Adams, a decision expected to influence Hochul's next steps.

Kerry Johnson reports:
"Seven prosecutors quit rather than move to drop that case. They said it looked like an unlawful quid pro quo. Adams and his lawyer have flatly denied that. But the judge in the case, Dale Ho, has ordered both sides to court Wednesday in New York to explain why the prosecution's being dismissed."
[08:30]

Additionally, over 900 former DOJ prosecutors have signed a letter commending those within the department who resisted unethical pressures, underscoring the internal conflict regarding Adams' case.

Broader Implications for DOJ and Political Landscape

The scandal surrounding Mayor Adams serves as a microcosm of the DOJ's current challenges. With accusations of politicization and selective enforcement of laws, the integrity of the department is under threat. Cassidy Johnson notes the fears that the DOJ may both shield Trump allies while aggressively pursuing Trump's critics.

"The fear of many of my sources is that the DOJ will, on one hand, move to help Trump's friends get out of trouble and on the other, use its vast powers of investigation and prosecution against people who have criticized the president."
— Kerry Johnson
[09:34]

Harvard Law Professor Jack Goldsmith criticizes the DOJ's actions as "doublespeak," suggesting a deliberate strategy to weaponize law enforcement against political adversaries.

Conclusion

The episode underscores a pivotal moment for both New York City and the Department of Justice. Mayor Eric Adams' ability to navigate the mounting legal and political pressures will not only determine his political future but also reflect on the DOJ's commitment to impartial justice. As Governor Hochul contemplates invoking her rarely used power to remove the mayor, the nation watches closely, recognizing the broader implications for governance and the rule of law in a deeply polarized political environment.

---

Notable Quotes:

• "Mayor Adams has a responsibility to decisively demonstrate to the people of New York City that he has the capacity to continue to govern in the best interest of New Yorkers, as opposed to taking orders from the Trump administration."
  — Hakeem Jeffries
  [04:08]

• "The politicization of the Department of Justice seems like it's complete."
  — Steven Salzberg
  [09:09]

• "The fear of many of my sources is that the DOJ will, on one hand, move to help Trump's friends get out of trouble and on the other, use its vast powers of investigation and prosecution against people who have criticized the president."
  — Kerry Johnson
  [09:34]

---

This summary is based on the transcript of the NPR episode titled "Will New York's Mayor Survive Widening Scandal?" released on February 18, 2025.

Transcript

[Mary Louise Kelly]

The political scandal gripping New York City and its mayor can be summed up in a series of numbers. 5. That's the number of criminal charges filed against Eric Adams late last year. The charges were part of a sweeping case alleging that Adams used the power of various city offices over nearly a decade to solicit lavish vacations and improper campaign contributions. Five is also the number of criminal charges that Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bovey ordered federal prosecutors to drop earlier this month. Bovey said the criminal indictment restricted Mayor Adams ability to address illegal immigration and violent crime in the city. The number Four. That's the number of Adams deputies who resigned in protest yesterday, effectively wiping out the mayor's top leadership. They follow a string of Adams officials who have exited his administration. And one final number to think about. 235. That is the number of years that the governor of New York State has had the power to remove the mayor of New York City if he or she deems they are unable to govern. No governor has ever used that power. But that could change at any moment. Consider this. The nation's biggest city has been all but paralyzed by the legal and political problems of its mayor. What's next for Eric Adams? And what does the scandal tell us about the Trump Justice Department? From npr, I'm Mary Louise Kelly.

[Unknown]

This message comes from Bluehost, making it easy to create a website fast. Their AI tools can help you customize, optimize and launch in minutes. And with 24. 7 security so you can focus on business, not hackers. Get your site [e-mail] this message comes from Greenlight. Ready to start talking to your kids about financial literacy? Meet Greenlight, the debit card and money app that teaches kids and teens how to earn, save, spend wisely and invest. Start your risk free [e-mail] NPR.

[Mary Louise Kelly]

It'S consider this from NPR. It has been a tense day in New York City as Governor Kathy Hochul and other top officials weigh the political future of the city's embattled mayor, Eric Adams. Adams faces growing calls to step down over allegations of corruption and over criticism that his deepening ties with the Trump administration have compromised his ability to govern independently. NPR's Brian Mann is following this. Hey there.

[Brian Mann]

Hi, Mary Louise.

[Mary Louise Kelly]

So get us up to speed. Governor Hochul was signaling yesterday that she was weighing using her power to force Adams out. Did she move in that direction today?

[Brian Mann]

Well, here's what we know. Hogle spent the day holding closed door, one on one meetings with some of New York City's most influential Politicians and civic leaders, including the Reverend Al Sharpton and Congressman Hakeem Jeffries. He's the House Democratic Minority Leader. He represents part of Brooklyn. And they discussed Adam's future and this growing scandal that sent shockwaves through the city's leadership. Remember, four of Adams top aides and deputy mayors, some of his key staff resigned yesterday. So in her statement, Hochul said Adams alleged conduct at City hall is troubling and cannot be ignored. She made it clear that removing Adams from office is a real possibility, but so far, she has not pulled that trigger.

[Mary Louise Kelly]

Okay, tell me more about the conversations that she was having and just the tone.

[Brian Mann]

Yeah. Louder and louder calls from Democratic leaders in New York for Adams to resign or for Hochul to force him out. Congressman Jeffries spoke to reporters today after his conversation with Hochul. He says confidence in Adams ability to lead his been shattered. This interview was posted by the News channel New York One.

[Hakeem Jeffries]

It's a deeply disturbing development. Mayor Adams has a responsibility to decisively demonstrate to the people of New York City that he has the capacity to continue to govern in the best interest of New Yorkers, as opposed to taking orders from the Trump administration.

[Mary Louise Kelly]

Taking orders from the Trump administration. Brian, just refresh our memory on what Hakeem Jeffries is referring to.

[Brian Mann]

Yeah. So Mayor Adams was indicted last September on federal corruption and bribery charges. He's denied any wrongdoing. But after President Trump was elected, Adams and his legal team started courting Trump's team and the new leadership at the Justice Department, they looked for those very serious charges to be dropped. Critics, including one DOJ attorney, say Adams team offered a quid pro quo here. You know, shelve these criminal charges. And in return, New York City's administration will help crack down on undocumented migrants. So last week, the DOJ did agree to put Adams case on hold. That was a move so controversial that seven top DOJ attorneys resigned rather than go along with it. Now, moving forward, because the DOJ has reserved authority to reactivate those criminal charges against Adams, they're holding this big stick going forward. If Adams doesn't cooperate on migrants, the DOJ could hit him with those charges. Adams has already offered federal immigration police more access to inmates at the city's jail on Rikers Island.

[Mary Louise Kelly]

And is there any kind of deadline for Governor Hochul? Do we know when she might act?

[Brian Mann]

You know, we really do not know when she's going to move forward here. One key moment, though, is Judge Dale Ho. The federal judge overseeing the Adams case, is going to review the DOJ request to put these criminal charges on hold. That happens tomorrow afternoon. And there's some indication that Hochul might act after we hear how that judge moves the case forward.

[Mary Louise Kelly]

NPR's Brian Mann. He is watching developments in New York City. Thank you.

[Brian Mann]

Thank you.

[Mary Louise Kelly]

We are now about one month into President Trump's term, and Justice Department veterans are starting to notice a pattern. They say the DOJ seems to be more lenient with people who appear loyal to the president. NPR justice correspondent Kerry Johnson has been reporting on some of those cases. Hi there.

[Kerry Johnson]

Hey, there.

[Mary Louise Kelly]

So we're talking obviously, about politically sensitive cases. What exactly are you hearing from people both in and outside the Justice Department?

[Kerry Johnson]

Steven Salzberg spent years at justice under Presidents Reagan and George H.W. bush. He says alarm is actually an understatement about what's happening there. Prosecutors seem to be backing away from cases against people with ties to Donald Trump.

[Steven Salzberg]

There are patterns that we haven't really seen in the past. None of the patterns inspire a lot of confidence that the department is being evenhanded in its approach to cases.

[Kerry Johnson]

Salzberg says this actually started on Inauguration Day with Trump's clemency for more than 1500 people who took part in the Capitol riot. He says it looks like Trump wanted to cut those people a break because they were acting on his behalf.

[Mary Louise Kelly]

I will inject a reminder here that Trump, of course, was himself investigated by the Justice Department, was charged twice by the Justice Department. Prosecutors dropped those charges against him after he won the election in November. Is that experience echoing through the Justice Department now?

[Kerry Johnson]

It absolutely is. After Trump returned to the White House, prosecutors abandoned their obstruction case against two of his aides at the Mar a Lago resort. Walt Nauta and Carlos de Oliveira allegedly helped Trump hide classified documents from the FBI. And Trump's spoken a lot lately about how the Justice Department went after him. He says that gave him an appreciation for the plight of other politicians accused of wrongdoing. That's really showed in recent weeks. DOJ dropped a case against former Nebraska Congressman Jeff Fortenberry. Prosecutors in Nashville withdrew from an investigation against Republican Congressman Andy Ogles. Ogles, of course, had introduced a bill that would clear the way for Trump to serve a third term in office. And then on Friday, the DOJ moved to dismiss the case against New York Mayor Eric Adams.

[Mary Louise Kelly]

Stay with the Mayor Adams case for a sec, because that's a big one and I know the fallout is continuing. What is the latest?

[Kerry Johnson]

Seven prosecutors quit rather than move to drop that case. They said it looked like an unlawful quid pro quo. Adams and his lawyer have flatly denied that. But the judge in the case, Dale Ho, has ordered both sides to court Wednesday in New York to explain why the prosecution's being dismissed. And Meanwhile, more than 900 former Justice Department prosecutors signed a letter to salute the people still at justice for responding to ethical challenges with courage and conviction. One of the people who signed is Peter Zeidenberg. He says senior lawyers at justice did not seem to hide they were acting for political reasons to secure Eric Adams cooperation with immigration agents.

[Steven Salzberg]

The politicization of the Department of Justice seems like it's complete.

[Kerry Johnson]

But the chief of staff to the current attorney general says this DOJ wants to focus on its core function of prosecuting dangerous criminals, not pursuing politically motivated witch hunts.

[Mary Louise Kelly]

Hmm, that reminds me of something that current attorney general this is Pam Bondi, something she said, which is that she wants to go after weaponization.

[Kerry Johnson]

She does. Bondi seems to be focused on people who help bring cases against Donald Trump, Harvard law professor Jack Goldsmith wrote this week. This all seems to be doublespeak, part of a playbook to weaponize DOJ law enforcement like never before against Trump's perceived enemies. And the fear of many of my sources is that the DOJ will, on one hand, move to help Trump's friends get out of trouble and on the other, use its vast powers of investigation and prosecution against people who have criticized the president.

[Mary Louise Kelly]

And here's Kerry Johnson there. Thanks, Kerry.

[Kerry Johnson]

Thanks for having me.

[Mary Louise Kelly]

This episode was produced by Mark Rivers, Megan Lim and Tyler Bartlam. It was edited by Courtney Dorning, Sarah Handel, Nadia Lancy, Christian Monroe and Cheryl Corley. Our executive producer is Sami Yin. Again it's Consider this from npr. I'm Mary Louise Kelly.

[Unknown]

This message comes from Schwab. At Schwab, how you invest is your choice, not theirs. That's why when it comes to managing your wealth, Schwab gives you more choices. You can invest and trade on your own. Plus get advice and more comprehensive wealth solutions to help meet your unique needs. With award winning service, low costs and transparent advice, you can manage your wealth your way at Schwab. Visit schwab.com to learn more support for.

NPR and the following message come from IXL Learning. IXL Learning uses advanced algorithms to give the right help to each kid, no matter the age or personality. Get an exclusive 20% off IXL membership when you sign up [e-mail] NPR support for NPR and the following message come from Boland Branch. Change your sleep with the softness of Boland Branch's 100% organic cotton sheets. Feel the difference with 15% off your first set of sheets at bolandbranch. Com with code NPR exclusions apply C Site for details.