The move was preceded by a wave of resignations of prosecutors, each refusing to sign the motion and some criticizing the Justice Department order to do so in scathing terms.

Adams gave his first public remarks on the Justice Department’s move to drop his pending case in a livestreamed address that was closed to the media. The mayor spoke directly to New Yorkers, reiterating his innocence,

Federal prosecutors on Friday formally asked a judge to drop bribery charges against New York Mayor Eric Adams, after a Justice Department official's order for them to do so sparked mass resignations.