New York City Mayor Eric Adams will appear in court on April 21, a federal judge says.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams will go on trial April 21 on charges that he accepted upgrades and other travel benefits and illegal campaign contributions from Turkish citizens who sought to take advantage of his influence as a government official.

U.S. District Judge Dale E. Ho set the trial date after a Friday afternoon hearing on the defense’s motion to dismiss the bribery charge against Adams. Ho said he plans to rule on the matter “soon.”

Adams, a first-term Democrat who plans to seek re-election, pleaded not guilty to charges contained in a five-count indictment in September.

The prosecutor said in court on Friday that his team turned over 1.6 terabytes of data as part of the investigation process. He said he expects to provide all evidence to the defense by the court’s Dec. 4 deadline.

Ho, in setting the trial date for April 21, said he was taking the interests of the mayor and the public “very seriously.” Prosecutors have proposed starting the trial in May.

Adams’ lawyer, Alex Spiro, raised the possibility that the indictment itself had negative implications for the mayor’s political career, pushing for a March trial, arguing that if it had started later, Adams would not have had time to collect the necessary signatures to get into court. voting, campaigning and fundraising.

Spiro also cited a recent public opinion poll that showed some New Yorkers rejected the mayor’s “presumption of innocence” to which all defendants are legally entitled.

The mayoral primary election is scheduled for June 2025.

Spiro said he insists on Adams’ right to a speedy trial “so this man can clear his good name” and continue to govern the city.

Prosecutors allege that Adams, in exchange for about $100,000 in travel upgrades and illegal counterfeit donations, pressured the FDNY commissioner and other fire department officials to open a Turkish consulate in Manhattan ahead of a visit by the country’s president.

Adams’ lawyer, John Bash, pleaded with Ho on Friday to dismiss the bribery charge, calling the government’s charges “vague and amorphous,” citing Supreme Court precedent.

Prosecutor Hagan Scotten said the defense “may be entitled to a narrow jury instruction” but not to dismiss the charge. He added that the accused does not need to be in a leadership role to apply “pressure.”

Prosecutors said emails between Adams and the FDNY commissioner, which prosecutors cited in the indictment, show Adams requested the building be opened despite deficiencies in the fire alarm system.

Adams was the Brooklyn borough president at the time, but won the Democratic primary and was considered a leading contender to become the next mayor.

At one point in the hearing, the judge agreed with the defense, saying it “seems a little odd that the jurisdictional nexus here arose when he was Brooklyn borough president… but his ability to apply pressure” comes from somewhere else.

“There’s something strange about it,” Ho said.

Adams is due back in court for a conference on Dec. 20.