A judge has temporarily halted the trial of New York City Mayor Eric Adams to allow further legal arguments, according to a new court order.
U.S. District Judge Dale Ho appointed veteran Supreme Court lawyer Paul Clement to assess whether the charges should be dismissed.
Adams faces charges of fraud, bribery, and other offenses, which he denies. The Trump administration has pushed to dismiss the case, arguing it hinders Adams’ ability to support the president’s agenda.
The trial, initially set for mid-April, has been postponed indefinitely, with possible oral arguments beginning on March 14.
Clement, a former U.S. Solicitor General under President George W. Bush, has a history of representing conservative positions at the Supreme Court. Judge Ho stated that his appointment is appropriate given the public significance of the case.
Earlier this week, Justice Department lawyers defended their decision to drop the case, with Emil Bove, a senior department official and former Trump defense lawyer, instructing federal prosecutors to dismiss the charges. Bove claimed the case restricted Adams’ ability to address immigration and crime, key priorities of President Trump.
The directive led to resignations among senior prosecutors, including interim U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon, who accused Adams’ legal team of pushing a “quid pro quo” deal to have the charges dropped in exchange for immigration policy support.
In a recent interview, Adams dismissed the allegations as “silly” and denied any improper negotiations. Meanwhile, several New York officials have called for his resignation. Governor Kathy Hochul has opted not to remove him from office but instead proposed legislation to increase oversight of the mayor’s office.
Adams was indicted last year for allegedly accepting over $100,000 in gifts from Turkish citizens in exchange for favors. His administration has faced multiple scandals and staff departures, even before the charges were announced. Several of his associates have also been implicated in the investigation.
