Corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams were dismissed with prejudice on Wednesday. U.S. District Judge Dale Ho handed down the ruling, which squelched the possibility of reviving the charges in the future. 

Adams had pleaded not guilty to conspiracy, wire fraud, bribery, and other charges following his indictment. The Trump Justice Department had moved to dismiss the case without prejudice, likely in an attempt to retain some leverage over Adams’ immigration policies. Skeptics had argued throughout the proceedings that Adams, a Democrat, struck a deal with the Trump administration in exchange for leniency, a notion that outside counsel Paul Clement stringently denied. 

Ho addressed the rumors in his filing, stating that Adams, who is seeking re-election this year, “might be more beholden to the demands of the federal government than to the wishes of his own constituents” if the mayor could be retried at a later date. Ho added that dismissing the case without prejudice “would create the unavoidable perception that the Mayor's freedom depends on his ability to carry out the immigration enforcement priorities of the administration.”