The Trump administration has been in power for just over a month, and in that time it has worked to dismantle basic institutions of American government and democracy as quickly as possible, engaging in gross overreach to push the limit of executive power. But one of the most stunning examples of the administration’s misconduct is their naked violation of rule of law in regard to the federal corruption case against New York City Democratic mayor Eric Adams.
The Trump Justice Department recently ordered that charges against Mayor Adams, rooted in accusations of bribery and a straw-donor scheme to gain access to public election funds, be dropped so Adams can carry out the Trump administration’s immigration agenda. But even before these nakedly quid pro quo actions, Adams’s entire tenure has suggested his future alignment with the Trump administration, with his strict commitment to austerity, scapegoating of migrants seeking asylum, a false law–and–order orientation, and obsession with vilifying and defeating socialists.
In September 2024, following phone seizures, dramatic departures of top officials, and indictments of many in Adams’s inner circle, Adams himself was indicted by the Department of Justice for charges of bribery and campaign finance offense, the first sitting New York City mayor to ever face a federal indictment. Adams pleaded not guilty in a federal court in Manhattan on September 28, 2024. In the face of calls for his resignation, Adams adopted a fighting posture, staying firm in his declaration of innocence and unjust persecution.
During this time, unlike many other Democratic mayors around the country, Adams did not publicly denounce Donald Trump during the presidential campaign. Following Trump’s victory in…
Auteur: Susan Kang
