NYC Mayor Eric Adams Urges Judge to Intervene Over Alleged Federal Leaks of Grand Jury Information

NEW YORK – NYC Mayor Eric Adams has accused federal authorities of unlawfully leaking confidential grand jury information to the media, prompting his legal team to file a motion on Tuesday urging a Manhattan judge to step in.

The motion, submitted by Adams’ attorneys, calls for a court hearing to investigate the alleged leaks, which they claim were made by federal agents and prosecutors involved in the high-profile indictment against the first-term New York City mayor.

“For nearly a year, the government has leaked grand jury material and other sensitive information to the media to bolster its image, further the investigation, and unfairly prejudice Mayor Eric Adams,” the legal team stated in the motion.

The recent indictment accuses Adams of accepting bribes, engaging in illegal fundraising schemes, and defrauding the city of $10 million in campaign funds. His legal team claims that leaks from federal authorities have been feeding the media damaging information for the past year, tarnishing Adams’ reputation before the official charges were brought.

The defense specifically cited articles published by The New York Times as examples of these supposed leaks, noting that the information shared could only have come from federal sources. The motion asks the court to examine these leaks and hold those responsible accountable.

In a previous statement, Adams’ lawyer Alex Spiro argued that the bribery charges should be dismissed, claiming that the gifts Adams received were typical perks for politicians, not illegal bribes. Spiro also criticized the government’s handling of the case, citing the damaging media coverage fueled by leaked information.

Adams’ legal team had raised concerns about the leaks with federal authorities multiple times, but their requests for an internal investigation were reportedly ignored. Now, they are urging District Judge Dale Ho to intervene and impose penalties for the alleged breaches of confidentiality.