Donald Trump aims to replace the Jamaican-American prosecutor handling cases against New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Sean “Diddy” Combs
President-elect Donald Trump disclosed his intentions on Thursday to appoint a new prosecutor to replace the individual whose office is currently investigating New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Sean “Diddy” Combs.
Trump indicated that he intends to nominate his former Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman, Jay Clayton, for the position of U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York.
Damian Williams, the current U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, has recently garnered attention for his involvement in several significant legal cases, including those concerning Mayor Eric Adams, rapper and businessman Sean “P. Diddy” Combs, former New Jersey Democratic Senator Robert Menendez, FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried, and British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell.
Williams, a Democrat and Jamaican-American, has established a reputation for prosecuting high-profile figures, including Mayor Adams and Sean Combs. He has pursued charges against Adams along with other prominent individuals, such as former Senator Bob Menendez and Ghislaine Maxwell. Williams oversaw the indictment of Sean Combs, who faces charges of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution.
Further, Williams managed the forthcoming sex-trafficking trial of Maxwell, a close associate of Jeffrey Epstein, and directed the investigation into former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani’s role in Ukraine leading up to the 2020 presidential election.
Clayton’s nomination arises amid ongoing charges against Mayor Adams concerning an alleged bribery scheme involving a Turkish government official and other foreign nationals. Mr. Adams has pleaded not guilty to these allegations and is facing five counts. He is notably the first sitting mayor in the history of New York City to be indicted and may face a prison sentence of up to 45 years if convicted.
Among the numerous accusations leveled against Adams by Williams is the claim that the Mayor accepted approximately $123,000 in bribes, including travel upgrades, and fraudulently obtained $10 million in public campaign funds. Notably, during the FBI investigation, Adams reportedly altered the passcode of his cellphone and claimed to have forgotten it when questioned by federal agents, as per the indictment.
Trump has previously expressed sympathy for Adams; however, it remains uncertain whether he would consider pardoning him.
“We were persecuted, Eric. I was persecuted, and so are you, Eric,” Trump told Adams at last month’s Al Smith Dinner.
“Jay is a highly respected business leader, counsel, and public servant,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “Jay is going to be a strong Fighter for the Truth as we, Make America Great Again.”
Clayton, aged 58, held the position of chair of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) under President Trump from May 2017 until December 2020. During his tenure, the SEC under Clayton focused on scrutinizing Tesla’s CEO, Elon Musk, for allegedly misleading investors through a social media post in which he claimed that he intended to take the electric vehicle company private.
In the end, Musk reached a settlement with the regulatory agency after expressing his frustrations, referring to it as the “Shortseller Enrichment Commission,” among other derogatory remarks.
Williams’s potential removal raises significant concerns regarding the continuation of the cases involving Mayor Adams and Combs under the newly appointed US Attorney.
The appointment of Williams as the first Black US Attorney for the Southern District of New York in its 200-year history marked a historic milestone in 2021. According to the Jamaica Gleaner, he is a second-generation Jamaican-American, Williams was born in Brooklyn to Jamaican parents, who met in the United States during the 1970s while his father pursued his medical studies at Howard University and his mother studied nursing.
Having been raised in Atlanta, Williams demonstrated exceptional academic prowess, eventually attending Harvard University where he majored in economics, and subsequently the University of Cambridge, where he earned a master’s degree in international relations.
Appointed by President Joe Biden in 2020, Williams received Senate confirmation the following year, with support from New York’s senior US Senator, Charles Schumer.
His leadership has steered the office’s endeavors in addressing some of the nation’s most intricate cases of fraud, terrorism, and corruption – frequently involving individuals closely associated with former President Trump.
Individuals who have collaborated with Williams characterize him as exceptionally qualified for the role. Theodore Wells Jr., a distinguished lawyer, remarked, “Beyond his extraordinary qualifications, Damian is the right person at this time in history to be the US Attorney for Manhattan.”
Wells further emphasized that Williams’s position holds symbolic significance for both Black and White communities, particularly in light of the recent social unrest within the United States.