NYC NOW - Morning Headlines: Mayor Adams Defends Record After DOJ Urges Dropping Corruption Charges, Immigrants Rally in Albany, and Mets and Yankees Begin Spring Training

Episode Date: February 12, 2025

Get up and get informed! Here's all the local news you need to start your day: Mayor Eric Adams is highlighting his accomplishments after the Justice Department directed federal prosecutors to drop corruption charges against him. While prosecutors accused Adams of accepting bribes, he insists he remained focused on the city’s priorities. Meanwhile, immigrants gathered in Albany to push for policy changes, with Adams’ administration playing a key role in the discussions. Plus, Mets and Yankees pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training in Florida.

Welcome to NYC Now. Your source for local news in and around New York City from WNYC. It's Wednesday, February 12th. Here's the morning headlines from Michael Hill. Mayor Adams is touting his record after news at the Department of Justice is telling federal prosecutors to drop the corruption charges against him. Prosecutors as a Southern District of New York office accused the mayor of accepting bribes for free or discounted travel

and illegal campaign contributions. But Adam says he never turned his eyes away from, quote, what was important despite those charges. Hidden beneath all the shocking headlines, full of rumors and accusations, all the innuendos and insinuations, the real news is that the women and men of my administration have delivered for the working people of New York.

DOJ officials under President Trump said the mayor's corruption case is interfering with his ability to aid the president's crackdown on illegal immigration, and as maintains, he never broke the law. Dozens of immigrants went to Albany for a rally yesterday at the Capitol. WNIC's John Campbell reports, Mayor Adams was top of mind. The Trump administration is planning to dismiss federal corruption charges against Adams. The mayor was supposed to go on trial in April.

Now, immigrant advocates fear the mayor is beholden to the president and is pushed for mass deportations. Jatsiri Tovar is a spokesperson for Make the Road, New York. We feel now that Mayor Adams has sold out New Yorkers for his own benefit. This is hurtful and this is dangerous for our immigrant communities. The Justice Department says the charges against Adams prevented him from devoting his full attention to illegal immigration. But the city's sanctuary policies were passed by the city council back in 2014, and the mayor can't overturn them on his own.

John Campbell will have borne that later this hour. The phrase, winter weary baseball fans have been waiting for. Pitchers and catchers report. Today, Mets and Yankees pitchers officially report to spring training in Florida. The Yankees train in Tampa, the Mets train in Port St. Lucie. The full squads will hit the field next week, then several weeks of exhibition games. And eventually, in late March, the Major League Baseball regular season begins. Last year, the Mets made a surprising run to the National.

League Championship Series before falling to the LA Dodgers who dominated the Yankees then in the World Series. 33 with clouds now, a slight chance with snow by 10 this morning, then after 4 this afternoon, a high near 38 snow, sleet, and rain overnight. Thanks for listening. This is NYC now from WNYC. Be sure to catch us every weekday, three times a day, for your top news headlines and occasional deep dives.

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