In a dramatic turn of events, Manhattan's top federal prosecutor, Danielle Sassoon, resigned on Thursday, accusing the Department of Justice (DOJ) of succumbing to political pressure to drop charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams. This resignation was followed by five other high-ranking officials within the DOJ, including the acting chief, three deputy chiefs, and a deputy assistant attorney general. These resignations come in response to an order from Emil Bove, the acting US deputy attorney general, directing the dismissal of a federal criminal case against Mayor Adams.
The controversy erupted after Bove penned a letter to Sassoon, instructing her to file a motion to dismiss the charges against Adams and to cease any further actions targeting the mayor. In a scathing rebuttal, Sassoon expressed her disapproval, asserting that any lawyer willing to comply with such a directive would be either foolish or cowardly. The charges against Mayor Adams include allegations of accepting illegal campaign contributions and receiving extravagant travel perks exceeding $100,000 during his tenure as Brooklyn borough president.
"It is a breathtaking and dangerous precedent to reward Adams’s opportunistic and shifting commitments on immigration and other policy matters with dismissal of a criminal indictment." – Danielle Sassoon
The situation within the DOJ has been described as chaotic, with multiple resignations following Sassoon's departure. A person briefed on the internal meetings characterized the situation as coercive, stating:
"This is not a capitulation – this is a coercion."
The person further praised Sassoon's decision to resign in protest:
"That person, in my mind, is a hero."
Hagan Scotten, another prosecutor who stepped down, echoed these sentiments in a letter criticizing the use of prosecutorial power for political ends.
"Any assistant US attorney would know that our laws and traditions do not allow using the prosecutorial power to influence other citizens, much less elected officials, in this way. If no lawyer within earshot of the president is willing to give him that advice, then I expect you will eventually find someone who is enough of a fool, or enough of a coward, to file your motion. But it was never going to me." – Hagan Scotten
While Mayor Adams' legal team denies any wrongdoing or political motives behind the DOJ's actions, his lawyer Alex Spiro dismissed claims of a "quid pro quo" as baseless.
"Any lawyer willing to file a motion to dismiss the criminal case against Adams on the administration’s say-so would be a fool or a coward." – (latest prosecutor to step down)
Additionally, Mayor Adams has faced accusations of evidence tampering and instructing others to provide false information to the FBI. Despite these serious allegations, his lawyer maintains that Adams is collaborating with the DOJ.
The DOJ has yet to file any new paperwork regarding the case as of Thursday evening, leaving the charges technically active. However, internal pressure to drop the case continues to mount amid debates over its legitimacy. Some argue that the case against Adams represents a partisan attack, while others see it as a genuine investigation into potential corruption.
Adding to the complexity of the issue, former President Donald Trump has hinted at considering a pardon for Mayor Adams—a move that further fuels speculation about political motivations underlying the DOJ's actions.
The case against Mayor Adams has become a flashpoint in a broader debate about the Trump administration's influence over federal prosecutions. The resignations have sparked discussions about whether this represents an unprecedented intrusion into prosecutorial independence.