NEW YORK, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- U.S. New York City Mayor Eric Adams was fighting for his political survival on Tuesday, with New York Governor Kathy Hochul meeting with city leaders to determine whether he is fit to serve.
"The governor's sit-down came as a federal judge ordered the Justice Department to explain why it was seeking the dismissal of Adams bribery case," reported The Wall Street Journal about the development.
City Comptroller Brad Lander, City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, civil-rights leader Reverend Al Sharpton and other leaders are expected to meet with Hochul to discuss whether she should remove Adams from office, according to the report. Another possibility under consideration is convening a committee of city officials who would vote on whether Adams is unable to lead.
"Top officials have been abandoning the mayor's administration while Adams has faced mounting criticism that dismissing his criminal charges left him beholden to U.S. President Donald Trump," noted the report.
A Justice Department memo said the central reason for dropping the Adams prosecution was so the mayor could better focus on fighting illegal immigration. The memo said the Justice Department reserved the right to bring a case against him after the 2025 mayoral election. "The mayor's political rivals and some of his allies have seized on those conditions to say he is compromised and have called on him to resign," added the report. ■
