By Susan Heavey and Luc Cohen
NEW YORK (Reuters) -A federal judge on Tuesday ordered U.S. prosecutors to appear in court this week to address why they are seeking to dismiss criminal charges filed against New York Mayor Eric Adams.
The hearing comes after a Justice Department official appointed by Republican President Donald Trump ordered prosecutors to seek dismissal of the case. At least a half-dozen federal prosecutors resigned rather than obey the order, but other officials eventually formally sought dismissal on Friday.
U.S. District Judge Dale Ho, an appointee of former Democratic President Joe Biden, ordered the parties to appear at a hearing on Wednesday at 2 p.m. EST (1900 GMT) to discuss the matter.
Four deputies to Adams plan to resign in a withdrawal of support for the embattled Democratic mayor, who has warmed to Trump since being indicted last year on charges of taking bribes from Turkish officials. He has pleaded not guilty.
In ordering prosecutors to dismiss the case, acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove said the charges were distracting Adams from helping Trump crack down on illegal immigration, one of the administration’s top priorities.
(Reporting by Susan Heavey in Washington and Luc Cohen in New York; Editing by Doina Chiacu and Chizu Nomiyama)
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