Damian Williams, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, knows how to put on a show. Black SUVs speed toward Gracie Mansion. Big color panels and stern government lawyers standing with folded hands. “A multi-year plan,” Williams explained, “to buy the favor of a single New York politician on the rise: Eric Adams.”

It’s all nice noise and anger, but is it as serious as Williams claims?

What the Turkish government received as “favors” from Mayor Adams were, at first glance, small potatoes. Cutting bureaucracy to open the Turkish consulate on time. A position on the transition team. And what did Adams get in return? Campaign donations. And first-class upgrades on Turkish Airlines. #Extralegroomgate.

The latter is embarrassing, but may not be illegal. The straw donor program is more serious, but Adams denies knowing anything about it.

It is in the best interest of fairness – and the best interest of New York City – that Adams be allowed to present a defense during his term.

The resignation people’s argument is that he is so distracted he can’t possibly lead and that his administration is in chaos with several employees either quitting or fleeing for the exits.

But the alternative is a recipe for similar chaos.

The vultures already circling will lead Gotham to disaster, starting with the man who would temporarily assume power if Adams were to resign or be deposed: District Attorney Jumaane Williams.

A radical who refuses to fund the police and prefers to be arrested at protests rather than actually offering solutions could actually make the crime situation worse in a short period of time.

Then there would probably be a special election in early 2025.

Adams’ declared election rivals so far are also a terrible collection of dubious progressive loudmouths or dead people. Meanwhile, disgraced former Gov. Andrew Cuomo smells blood in the water and is circling.

Republican? City Councilman Joe Borelli has said he would run in a special election, and perhaps another reasonable option will emerge somewhere — but the Democrats’ lead in citywide voter turnout is beyond scary.

The decision to prosecute Adams undoubtedly carries a strong political tinge: The investigation apparently kicked into high gear after the mayor angered the White House by publicly complaining about the impact of the border crisis on New York.

And the Southern District’s judicial press against Adams officials – even a raid on interim Police Commissioner Tom Donlon’s home recently, just days after he took the NYPD job, for documents he had apparently kept for nearly two decades – is carrying just add these suspicions.

The reputation of prosecutors and trust in the justice system in recent years, from the treatment of Hunter Biden and Donald Trump to biased prosecutors and the shameless treatment of violent criminals, is frankly terrible.

We reserve judgment as to whether Mayor Adams did anything wrong. The law is the law and a fair trial will find out the truth.

The coming days will reveal the strength of the criminal case against Adams and his ability to dismantle it.

But there is no need to rush. Either way, New Yorkers will decide next year whether to keep him for a second term or go in a new direction.

What they really want, in the meantime, is for someone to continue the fight against crime, combat the tsunami of anti-Semitism in the city, deal with the refugee crisis, deal with the rising cost of living, combat the housing crisis, and improve the atrocious education system and improve student performance in the system.