Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
NYC mayor leans on faith after indictment dismissed: 'God uses who he uses'
By
Phil Corso
Published Apr 20, 2025
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Phil Corso
Published Apr 20, 2025
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Mayor Eric Adams is calling on his Christian faith as he emerges from what he called one of the “darkest moments” of his life — a federal corruption case that was dismissed earlier this month.
Speaking Sunday at a packed Easter service at the Temple of Restoration in Brooklyn, Adams framed the now-closed indictment as a divine test and part of his spiritual journey.
“Fifteen months ago, I was indicted for fighting for this city,” he said. “Many people said, ‘He’s finished.’ Many people said, ‘His life is over.’ I was threatened with 35 years in prison. And the day after I was indicted by an over-aggressive prosecutor's office...I stood in front of the entire press and I told them my faith in God is stronger right now than it ever is.”
Adams was accused of bribery and campaign finance violations — charges a federal judge dismissed with prejudice, meaning they can’t be revived. He denied wrongdoing when the indictment was first announced.
The case, dismissed just ahead of a key deadline for Adams' reelection bid, was politically charged from the outset, with some critics accusing the U.S. Justice Department of politically motivated actions in exchange for the mayor’s cooperation on immigration enforcement, which Adams had denied.
On Sunday, he connected that ordeal to a higher calling.
“When the indictment was dismissed, people said, 'Who was it dismissed by?' I said it then and I'll say it now. God uses who he uses,” he said. “And it is not me to question God. It’s me to understand God.”
As Adams reflected on his legal battles and his independent bid for reelection, he emphasized his unwavering belief that his journey is guided by a higher purpose.
“I don’t know what the future holds for me,” Adams said. “But it’s not determined by the outcome of what people think it’s determined by. In my darkest moments, I knew they were never burials. They were only planters for the next level of what I’m supposed to do.”
Throughout the nearly 10-minute speech, Adams returned to themes of betrayal, systemic injustice and redemption, invoking his mother’s memory and his own struggles growing up in Queens.
“That’s my glory. That’s not my story,” he said. “My story is your story.”
Adams closed by vowing to continue his mission as a public servant guided by faith.
“Every morning when I wake up, I turn on my GPS — my God positioning satellite. He drives me. I have let go and I let God.”
Tagged
new york city
Politics
eric adams
Phil Corso
Phil Corso is the evening news editor at WNYC/Gothamist. Got a tip? Email [email protected].
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Queens man found dead, police say, and injured woman is his mother, neighbors say
Police are investigating a related incident in which a 62-year-old woman was found injured beneath the Van Wyck Expressway.
By
Charles Lane
Published Oct 14, 2026 at 7:39 p.m. ET
Man shot by ICE in NYC's Marble Hill said federal officers never identified themselves
The wounded man said he didn't learn ICE agents were involved until he woke up in the hospital.
By
Arya Sundaram
and
Samantha Max
News
Man shot by ICE in NYC's Marble Hill said federal officers never identified themselves
The wounded man said he didn't learn ICE agents were involved until he woke up in the hospital.
By
Arya Sundaram
and
Samantha Max
Brooklyn school dean says MTA officers assaulted him over a $3 bus fare he says he paid
By
Carol Chen
National Grid customers in NYC will see higher gas bills this winter
By
Rosemary Misdary
Bruce Blakeman joins Gov. Hochul in support for expanding NY rape law
By
Jon Campbell
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .