Eric Adams attorney has contacted DOJ officials about dropping case against him

An attorney for New York City Mayor Eric Adams has contacted Justice Department leadership with a plea to drop the case against him, and officials in Washington have discussed the request with prosecutors in New York, two people briefed on the matter confirmed to NBC News.

The outreach from Adams’ lawyer is not unusual for a high-profile defendant like Adams, hoping for a fresh look at a case from a new administration’s Justice Department. There is currently no indication, however, that federal prosecutors in Manhattan at the Southern District of New York are going to drop the case, one person familiar with the matter said.

The office of the acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove is involved in the discussions with the Southern District of New York and Adams’ team about the pending case against the mayor, a Justice Department official told NBC News.

The New York Times first reported on discussions about the case against Adams being dropped.

Adams pleaded not guilty after he was indicted in September on federal corruption and bribery charges.

A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office declined comment.