Trump plans to replace the U.S. Attorney in Manhattan. What does that mean for the Mayor Adams investigation?
NEW YORK — There are big questions about President-elect Donald Trump's decision to replace the United States Attorney in Manhattan and the effect it will have on the ongoing corruption investigations involving Mayor Eric Adams and several members of his administration.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams has been a thorn in the side of the local political world, convicting former New Jersey Sen. Robert Menendez and bringing a corruption indictment against Adams.
Trump announced Thursday he plans to replace Williams with Jay Clayton, a corporate lawyer who was the top Wall Street enforcer during the first Trump administration.
Will Clayton make the Adams case disappear?
Word of the replacement is raising questions about what will happen to the ongoing investigations of city officials, the indictment of Adams, and whether Adams' recent decision to work productively with Trump has anything to do with his hope for the indictment to go away or that he will get a pardon if he is convicted.
Adams was asked about that on "The View," though he avoided a direct answer.
"Listen, I said it over and over again – I did nothing wrong. I spent 40 years of my life, 22 of them as a police officer, protecting the children and families of the city. I'm consistent of that. I live my life the way I expect everyday New Yorkers are supposed to live their life," he said.
Political expert and law professor J.C. Polanco says Clayton would certainly have the power to make the case disappear.
"The truth is that the U.S. Attorney of the Southern District has enormous powers, and he can recommend that the indictment be removed. He can go ahead and just drop this entire case altogether," Polanco said.
But Polanco says that might not be politically wise if Adams wants to seek reelection.
"That cloud will always be over, not only Mayor Adams, but for every other public servant that worked along with him that was investigated," Polanco said.
Does Trump want to help Adams?
Trump has expressed sympathy for Adams, but what is unclear is whether Trump will use his power to help the mayor.
The president-elect may want his top prosecutor to focus his attention on officials such as Attorney General Letitia James, who brought the civil tax fraud case against him, or Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who prosecuted him in the hush money case.
In the past, Trump has called for Bragg to face criminal charges.