Judge pauses NYC mayor Eric Adams trial in corruption case

A judge paused the trial against New York City Mayor Eric Adams on Friday to gather further arguments, according to a new court order.

US District Judge Dale Ho has ordered an outside lawyer to get involved in the case and argue whether the charges should be dismissed.

Adams is facing fraud, bribery and other charges, but he denies any wrongdoing. Trump administration officials aim to dismiss the case against him, arguing that it has damaged his ability to aid the president's agenda.

Adams' trial, scheduled for mid-April, is now off the calendar indefinitely. Long time US Supreme Court lawyer Paul Clement has been tapped as the outside lawyer, with possible oral arguments to begin 14 March.

Clement is a former US Solicitor General who served during the George W Bush administration. He has often represented conservative positions at the Supreme Court.

Judge Ho wrote in court documents that the appointment of Clement is "appropriate" adding, "particularly so in light of the public importance of this case."

Before the judge earlier this week, Justice Department lawyers defended their decision to end the criminal case against Adams.

Emil Bove, a top official at the department who served as Trump's criminal defence lawyer, instructed federal prosecutors last week to drop the case.

Bove argued that the case against Adams had "restricted" the mayor's ability to address "illegal immigration and violent crime" - two of President Donald Trump's key priorities.

Manhattan's lead prosecutor and six other high-level Justice officials resigned in protest, saying there was no legal justification for the directive.

Danielle Sassoon, the interim US attorney for the Southern District of New York, was the first of the lead prosecutors to resign. In a letter to the US attorney general, she alleged that Adams' lawyers - while meeting with Bove and other prosecutors - "repeatedly urged what amounted to a quid pro quo" in an effort to dismiss the case.

Bove's office later filed a motion to dismiss, prompting the judge to call a hearing.

During an interview alongside Trump's border czar Tom Homan last week, Adams denied his side had proposed that the Justice Department drop the case in exchange for immigration measures, a move Sassoon had said amounted to a "quid pro quo".

Adams said the allegations were "silly".

Several New York officials in the state and the city have called for Adams to be removed from office or for him to resign.

Despite having the authority, New York Governor Kathy Hochul decided on Thursday not to remove Adams from office. Instead, she announced a plan to limit his authority.

The New York governor said she would propose legislation and measures aimed at exerting more oversight over the mayor's office. Adams responded there would have been no legal basis to remove him.

Hochul proposed a new inspector general position for New York City, providing more resources for officials to take legal action against the Trump administration, and expanding funding for the state comptroller's office to conduct more oversight of the city.

Adams was indicted last year for allegedly accepting gifts totalling more than $100,000 (£75,000) from Turkish citizens in exchange for favours. He denies the charges.

His administration has been plagued by staff departures and scandals, even prior to the charges being announced against him. A number of figures in his orbit have also been charged as part of the investigation.