Indicted New York City Mayor, set on reelection run, asks judge for earlier trial date
NEW YORK — New York City Mayor Eric Adams has asked a federal judge to move up his criminal trial to better accommodate a run for reelection next year.
The mayor’s attorney, Alex Spiro, wrote a letter to Judge Dale Ho Monday seeking to begin Adams’ trial on bribery and straw donation allegations three weeks earlier than the current start date of April 21.
“An earlier trial date will ensure that Mayor Adams’s speedy trial rights are upheld, that the Mayor will be able to fully participate in his reelection campaign and that this City’s voters can be rid of the distraction of this misguided indictment as they hear from and evaluate the Democratic candidates for Mayor on their merits,” Spiro wrote.
Adams is planning to run in a Democratic primary on June 24, with early voting scheduled to begin on June 14.
The earlier start date would come with a catch.
In order to cut down on pre-trial procedures, Spiro offered to waive the opportunity to seek additional discovery materials. The unusual move telegraphed both his confidence in the defense and the conviction with which Adams appears to be pursuing a second term despite the pall this case and other law enforcement probes into City Hall have cast over his administration.
In his letter to the judge, Spiro argued the case will impact Adams’ ability to participate in debates and candidate forums. As an example, Spiro said Adams was already forced to skip an Oct. 26 candidate forum because of the looming trial, though it was unclear what exactly would have prevented the mayor from attending. That same day, his public schedule was packed with 10 hours of events — mostly celebrations and galas. And he subsequently said he skipped the forum because he did not have time for “frivolous stuff.”
Under the existing timeline, Spiro predicted a verdict in late May, which would be just weeks before early voting begins.
“The Court should not allow the schedule to prevent the Mayor from effectively running for reelection to accommodate the preference of the prosecutors, who chose when to secure an indictment in this case,” Spiro wrote. “Only an earlier trial date can mitigate these severe prejudices.”
A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Manhattan, which is prosecuting Adams, did not immediately comment.
Prosecutors charged Adams with accepting bribes over the course of nearly a decade from individuals tied to the Turkish government. In exchange, they allege, after winning the Democratic primary in 2021 he pressured the city’s fire department to sign off on the opening of the Turkish embassy. The mayor has denied those charges.
The election of former President Donald Trump bodes well for the mayor's chances in court.
The mayor studiously avoided criticizing Trump during the campaign. And the president elect has spoken sympathetically about Adams' plight. As POLITICO reported last week, there are several ways Trump could intervene in the mayor's criminal case, including issuing a pardon if Adams is convicted.
