Adams' lawyers say prosecutors leaked information and want the bribery charge dismissed

NEW YORK CITY — Defense attorneys for Mayor Eric Adams have accused federal prosecutors of leaking classified information as they continue to try to dismiss one of the federal bribery charges against him.

In a court filing released Friday morning, Adams' attorney Alex Spiro asked U.S. District Judge Dale Ho to hold a hearing on whether federal prosecutors leaked information to the press.

Adams' defense team argues that the government “had a clear motive to use leaks to aid its investigation, pressure current or potential witnesses to incriminate the mayor, and create a widespread belief that the mayor committed crimes.” has.”

Last week, federal prosecutors filed a motion seeking to blame law enforcement officials who had been quoted in news articles, including those in the New York Times, New York Post, CNN and Fox News.

They argued that law enforcement sources leaked inaccurate information and “appeared to be distant from law enforcement,” the court filing said.

Adams faces one count of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy, two counts of soliciting a donation from a foreign national and one count of bribery, Patch previously reported.

Prosecutors allege Adams received benefits and perks from Turkish officials, including free and discounted airline tickets and hotel stays.

The benefits were worth more than $100,000, prosecutors said.

Spiro reiterated that “one of two things happened here.”

“Either the government leaked grand jury information in violation of Rule 6(e), or multiple individuals in a criminal investigation independently leaked divergent information, contrary to their own self-interest,” the court filing states.

Regarding the bribery allegation, Spiro said the interactions with Adams and Turkish officials were “ordinary communications between officials about an important matter.”

According to multiple media reports, Adams' defense attorneys first raised the possibility of leaks shortly after the initial incident was revealed.

“Officials, presumably in the DOJ, the FBI and the city’s Department of Investigation, may have been responsible for the leak,” they wrote in Friday’s court filing.

A Marist College poll in October found that 69 percent of New Yorkers want Adams to resign, with 65 percent of people thinking Adams did something illegal, Patch previously reported.