On Saturday, January 18th, New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ legal team moved to have federal corruption charges dismissed, citing alleged misconduct by former U.S. Attorney Damian Williams. The attorneys claim Williams’ public statements and actions have tainted the jury pool and violated courtroom ethics.
In court papers, Adams’ legal team claims that Williams, who resigned as U.S. Attorney last month ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration, engaged in extrajudicial commentary that could prejudice a fair trial. The defence points to an Op-Ed by Williams, published on January 16th in City & State, which criticized Adams’ leadership and portrayed New York City as being in “deep crisis” under a “broken ethical compass.”
Adams’ attorney, Alex Spiro, argued that Williams used public statements to advance his political agenda. In a letter to U.S. District Judge Dale E. Ho, Spiro claimed that Williams had “effectively announced his intent to challenge Mayor Adams in the political arena.” Spiro also highlighted that Williams had created a website to promote his profile, which included links to articles that “disparage Adams.”
According to the defence, Williams’ actions violate federal courtroom ethics laws and the New York Rules of Professional Conduct, which restrict public commentary on ongoing criminal trials by legal professionals, even those no longer involved in the case.
Adams has denied any wrongdoing and pleaded not guilty to charges of accepting bribes and illegal campaign contributions from foreign sources. He vowed to remain in office and is scheduled to stand trial in April. The legal team also seeks a broader inquiry into whether the prosecution was initiated for improper political purposes.
Although Williams has not publicly indicated any interest in running for office, the defence contends that his actions appear politically motivated, further complicating the case. “Not only is this conduct highly unethical, but it confirms this U.S. Attorney’s office’s strategy of prejudicing the jury pool,” Spiro stated.
The Department of Justice and Williams have yet to comment on the claims.
