New York City Mayor Eric Adams on Thursday said he will pull out of the city’s Democratic primary and instead run for reelection as an independent, arguing that his recently dismissed federal bribery case had made it impossible to mount a primary campaign.
In a video, Adams said he will not run in the Democratic primary in June because his criminal case “dragged on too long” while the “false accusations were held over me,” preventing him from campaigning.
“I firmly believe that this city is better served by truly independent leadership, not leaders pulled at by the extremists at the far left or the far right, but instead those rooted in the common middle, the place where the vast majority of New Yorkers are firmly planted,” Adams said.
The decision came after intense speculation over whether Adams would remain in the Democratic primary, which has attracted several serious opponents, including former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
A federal judge dismissed Adams’ corruption case on Wednesday, ending a legal saga that left the mayor severely damaged and raised questions about his political independence.
The charges, brought last year during former President Joe Biden’s administration, accused Adams of accepting illegal campaign contributions and travel discounts from a Turkish official and others, in exchange for helping Turkey open a diplomatic building without passing fire inspections, among other things.
The mayor pleaded not guilty and was set for a trial in April, but the case was upended after President Donald Trump’s Justice Department moved to drop the charges so Adams could assist with the president’s immigration agenda, while leaving open the possibility that the case could be revived.
The highly unusual move set off a firestorm of criticism and resignations, while throwing Adams’ mayoralty in doubt, with many political figures in New York questioning whether Adams was now beholden to the Trump administration.
In an order dismissing the case, federal Judge Dale E. Ho denied prosecutors the option to refile the charges and wrote that allowing the case to be revived “would create the unavoidable perception that the mayor’s freedom depends on his ability to carry out the immigration enforcement priorities of the administration.”
Adams, in his video announcement, maintained his innocence but acknowledged that the case had “shaken” voters and admitted that he put his trust in the wrong people.
“I know that the accusations leveled against me may have shaken your confidence in me, and that you may rightly have questions about my conduct. And let me be clear, although the charges against me were false, I trusted people I should not have, and I regret that,” he said.
Adams’ announcement was first reported by Politico.