The former federal prosecutor who presided over the last major ouster of a big-city mayor over corruption charges says embattled Big Apple boss Eric Adams may have learned from former President Donald Trump an aggressive approach. He says he is following a defensive strategy.
Mark Chutokwu, a former federal prosecutor who led the public corruption case against former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick a decade ago, said, “Adams' legal team has learned lessons from former presidents about how best to litigate against the government.'' It seems like I'm getting it,” he said. “In other words, the best defense is often an active attack.”
Although Trump's New York trial took place in state court and was prosecuted by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office rather than the U.S. Department of Justice, the charges are widely viewed as politically motivated. Ta. And critics have expressed similar concerns about the investigation by Special Counsel Jack Smith.
A pair of defense motions that Chatkow said were filed “extremely quickly” – a motion to dismiss the bribery charges against the mayor and a series of Justice Department leaks that the defense claims defamed Adams. He pointed to a motion asking the court to investigate. Damages the public image and undermines the right to a fair trial.
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On October 2, 2024, New York City Mayor Eric Adams appears in federal court on charges of bribery for illegally soliciting campaign funds from foreigners. (Reuters/Caitlin Ochs)
“How quickly the defense filed the motion to dismiss, and this motion related to the leak, shows that not only are they very aggressive in their defense, but they are also trying to shape public opinion about this case. I think it's just like when you're doing a political campaign,” he told FOX News Digital. “They're looking at who gets to define the narrative.”
Adams, a moderate Democrat, accused the Justice Department of pursuing him and those around him in retaliation for his criticism of the Biden-Harris administration on border security.
“Like Trump, Adams' legal strategy is to deny and defend,” said Neema Rahmani, a former federal prosecutor who runs a private practice in Los Angeles. “This is beneficial for candidates in the midst of elections, but there is more to it than just public relations and political benefits. Attacking prosecutors and putting them at a disadvantage puts the government on the defensive and slows down the legal process. Become.”
Former President Donald Trump will appear in a hush money trial in Manhattan Criminal Court in New York City on May 30th. (Doug Mills/Pool, via Reuters)
In a war of attrition, delays give defenders an advantage, he said.
“Prosecutors have limited resources and rarely have access to the best lawyers to handle defendants like Mr. Trump and Mr. Adams,” he said.
The argument that the U.S. Justice Department is punishing the administration's political opponents has been raised previously by Trump and his allies. In addition to the lawsuit against Trump, critics have questioned the aggressive prosecution of those involved in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.
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Congress even has a House Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government, which held a hearing in late September investigating claims that the FBI is purging conservatives from membership.
Damian Williams, the attorney for the Southern District of New York who is prosecuting Mr. Adams, denied any political motive in connection with the case when he announced the indictment last week.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams speaks to reporters at a press conference. His office secured indictments against New York City Mayor Eric Adams. (Reuters/Shannon Stapleton)
“We are not focused on the right or the left,” he said at a news conference last month. “We focus on right and wrong. It is our duty and we will fulfill it.”
But Chutkow, a former federal prosecutor, said the government's motives have little to do with whether a crime was committed.
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“You either committed a crime or you didn't,” he told FOX News Digital. “It doesn't really matter why the government decided to indict you.”
However, Adams' publicity campaign may have been designed to influence the jury pool. It may only take one sympathetic person on the committee to solve this case.
On October 28, 2008, in Detroit, Michigan, former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick (R) appears with his attorneys in Wayne County Circuit Court for sentencing. Kilpatrick and dozens of allies were ousted in one of the biggest metropolitan corruption scandals in recent memory. (Bill Priano/Getty Images)
”[Prosecutors] “Many of the judges have pretty tight control over that in the courtroom, but it's harder to do that in the court of public opinion,” Chutkow said. That's what we saw with the former president, and he and his supporters made a lot of statements in the press. ”
He added that the judge in Trump's case, Juan Marchan, had a hard time controlling his speech outside the courtroom despite the gag order.
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“It's difficult when you're dealing with public officials, because they have First Amendment rights,” Chatkow said. “Judges must always weigh concerns about jury contamination against the right to free speech.”
If convicted on all charges, Mr. Adams could face up to 45 years in prison.
