NEW YORK — The legal fate of New York Mayor Eric Adams now rests with Dale E. Ho, a relatively junior federal judge in Manhattan. Ho’s decision will determine whether Adams’ corruption case continues after significant turmoil involving the Justice Department under President Donald Trump. A series of events unfolded when Adams’ lawyer sought to dismiss the case, sparking disagreement among top officials, resulting in seven prosecutors resigning in protest.
This development marks a pivotal moment in Ho’s burgeoning judicial career, juxtaposing the new priorities of Washington’s Justice Department with the determined stance of federal prosecutors who contend that Adams should face consequences for his alleged offenses—accepting bribes and illegal campaign donations from foreign entities. Ho, noted for his educational credentials and background as a civil rights lawyer, has not exhibited tendencies toward easily granting the government’s request, as the implications of this case could significantly impact Adams’ career as mayor and the departmental strategy concerning prosecutions deemed politically inconvenient.
On Wednesday, Ho is convening a hearing to focus on the Justice Department’s attempts to dismiss the charges against Adams while examining the mayor’s response to the situation. Emil Bove, the Justice Department’s acting deputy attorney general, stated that dropping the case is essential for fostering Adams’ cooperation in immigration policies. Two prosecutors who refused to comply with Bove’s directive claim that this arrangement represents a “quid pro quo,” a charge that Adams’ legal team rejects.
Ho has approached his responsibilities cautiously since Bove intervened and officially requested the dismissal of the case last Friday. Rather than hastily endorsing the government’s motion to dismiss, he is probing deeper into the reasoning behind it, actively engaging both parties for their perspectives on how to proceed.
This meticulous nature has been evident throughout Ho’s career, according to David D. Cole, a former national legal director for the ACLU. “Dale Ho is one of the very best lawyers I’ve ever worked with,” Cole remarked, emphasizing Ho’s diligent pursuit of justice and his adeptness at recognizing the constraints and responsibilities of his position.
At 47 years of age, Ho was nominated for the federal bench in Manhattan by President Joe Biden in September 2021, amidst a challenging confirmation process marked by his civil rights advocacy and critical remarks on social media regarding politically aligned Senate members. Ho’s professional history includes volunteering for Barack Obama’s campaign in 2008 and contributing to efforts at both the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and the ACLU.
During his confirmation hearing, he faced accusations from Republican senators, including Ted Cruz, who labeled him an “extreme partisan.” Despite this, Ho urged senators that he would uphold fairness in the courtroom if confirmed. Biden resubmitted Ho’s nomination following the midterm elections, and it was confirmed in June 2023 with a narrow party-line vote. Shortly thereafter, he began his tenure in a court where he would confront Adams’ case by chance.
As a former prosecutor noted, the historical landscape of case dismissals has evolved over time, transitioning from automatic dismissals by parties to requiring judicial consent since 1944. Ho’s avenue in addressing the Adams case seems constrained, as the authority that initiated the indictment no longer wishes to proceed.
Concerns about the public interest in dismissing cases led to a precedent being referenced by interim Manhattan U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon before her resignation, indicating that a 1977 ruling rejected a similar request in the same court. Previously, Ho has not shied away from imposing stringent rulings against Adams, refusing to approve the dismissal of a bribery charge and denying a request for an inquiry into alleged grand jury leaks due to a lack of evidence.
The son of Filipino immigrants, Ho grew up in San Jose, California, and is currently based in Brooklyn. He previously participated in the 2018 New York City Charter Revision Commission, focusing on financial contribution limits in political election campaigns. Ho’s personal narrative includes his grandfather’s military service during World War II and a keen understanding of the foundational values that guide democracy, as articulated by Senator Chuck Schumer during his nomination support.
Ho, a summa cum laude Princeton graduate and Yale Law School alumnus, began his legal career not far from his current court at the Manhattan district attorney’s office and served as a law clerk for a federal judge. As the director of the ACLU’s Voting Rights Project, he advocated for various legal voting issues such as racial gerrymandering and voting accessibility.
Moreover, Ho was instrumental in significant Supreme Court cases, successfully challenging the Trump administration’s attempt to include a citizenship question in the Census and disputing efforts to exclude undocumented immigrants from population counts used for congressional representation. While his side faced defeat in one instance, the subsequent administration reversed the contentious policies, highlighting Ho’s ongoing impact in the legal and civic arena.
