Top Federal Prosecutors in New York and D.C. Resign After Refusing to Drop Charges Against Mayor Eric Adams
Source: Michael M. Santiago / Getty
A wave of resignations has rocked the Justice Department after top federal prosecutors refused an order to drop corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams. At least six prosecutors, including Danielle R. Sassoon, the acting U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, stepped down in protest, marking a rare and public rebuke of the Trump administration’s Justice Department leadership. The controversy began after Emil Bove, the acting U.S. deputy attorney general, issued a memo directing prosecutors to dismiss the case against Adams, arguing that the charges interfered with the administration’s priorities on immigration and crime.
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Sassoon formally appealed to Attorney General Pam Bondi, expressing deep concerns about potential political interference. In a letter obtained by NBC News, she described a Jan. 31 meeting where Adams’ lawyer, Alex Spiro, allegedly suggested a quid pro quo, implying that Adams could assist with the administration’s policy agenda if the charges were dropped. Sassoon claimed that Bove reprimanded a prosecutor for taking notes during the meeting and later confiscated them. Her letter also revealed that prosecutors had been preparing additional charges against Adams for allegedly destroying evidence and providing false information to the FBI.
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The Justice Department’s handling of the case sparked immediate backlash among high-ranking officials. John Keller, acting head of the DOJ’s Public Integrity Section, and Kevin Driscoll, head of the Criminal Division, also resigned in protest after refusing to comply with Bove’s directive. At least three other prosecutors followed suit. After Sassoon announced her resignation, she received a scathing eight-page letter from Bove, accusing her office of “insubordination” and prioritizing politics over justice. “The Justice Department will not tolerate the misconduct reflected in your approach to this matter,” he wrote. Legal experts raised concerns over Bove’s assertion that the DOJ could reopen the case against Adams at any time, suggesting that this could be an attempt to hold the case over the mayor’s head as leverage.
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Adams has denied all allegations and insisted that the case is politically motivated. His attorney, Spiro, dismissed claims of a quid pro quo as “a total lie.” Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump has denied any involvement in the Justice Department’s decision, stating, “I know nothing about it.” However, in December, Trump suggested that he might consider pardoning Adams, saying the mayor “was treated pretty unfairly.” The indictment against Adams, unsealed in September, accused him of accepting more than $100,000 in luxury travel perks from Turkish nationals, including government officials, in exchange for political favors. The case was considered one of the most high-profile corruption investigations in recent years.
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The resignations have further exposed internal divisions within the Justice Department, raising concerns about the extent to which political considerations are influencing prosecutorial decisions. Sassoon, a well-respected prosecutor with strong conservative credentials, previously played a key role in the conviction of FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried. Her resignation highlights the growing tensions between career prosecutors and political appointees. Columbia University law professor and former federal prosecutor Daniel Richman called Sassoon’s exit “a stark warning about the difference between serious conservatives who uphold the law and a Justice Department willing to bend to political pressure.” In the wake of the turmoil, Matthew Podolsky has been named the new acting U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York. As scrutiny over the Justice Department’s decision intensifies, the future of the case against Adams remains uncertain.
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