A major upheaval in the corruption case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams unfolds as multiple prosecutors resign from their positions.
According to The Hill, former Assistant U.S. Attorney Hagan Scotten has resigned after Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove directed the charges against Adams to be dropped, challenging Bove to find a "fool" to execute the dismissal.
The dramatic development follows the earlier resignation of Acting U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon, who stepped down Thursday, refusing to comply with Bove's directive. Several other prosecutors have also left their positions in protest of the decision, creating a significant exodus from the high-profile case.
The tension between prosecutors stems from Bove's justification for dropping the charges, which cited concerns about interference with Adams's 2025 reelection campaign and his ability to address illegal immigration and violent crime. These reasons have been met with fierce criticism from the departing prosecutors, who view them as politically motivated rather than legally sound.
Scotten, who has led the investigation since its inception in 2021, expressed his strong opposition to the directive in a letter obtained by The New York Times. His letter specifically challenged the legitimacy of using prosecutorial power to influence elected officials.
Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Scotten stated:
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 be me.
The case has become increasingly complex with allegations of potential deals between Adams's legal team and the Justice Department. Sassoon revealed that Adams's attorneys had repeatedly sought what she described as a quid pro quo arrangement, offering cooperation with government immigration priorities in exchange for leniency.
Bove's directive included references to alleged weaponization of the justice system under former U.S. Attorney Damian Williams, who oversaw the case before stepping down. This claim has been strongly contested by Scotten, who dismissed it as "transparently pretextual."
Acting U.S. Attorney Sassoon made clear her position in her statement:
No system of ordered liberty can allow the Government to use the carrot of dismissing charges, or the stick of threatening to bring them again, to induce an elected official to support its policy objectives.
The charges against Adams, which include five counts of corruption, allege that he accepted bribes from wealthy businesspeople and a Turkish government official in exchange for favors. Bove has requested the charges be dropped without prejudice, leaving open the possibility of refiling them in the future.
Adams has maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings, claiming the charges were politically motivated due to his criticism of the Biden administration's immigration policies. Recent speculation has emerged about potential pardons or case dismissals as Adams strengthened his ties to President Trump.
The case's implications extend beyond the immediate legal proceedings, raising questions about the intersection of law enforcement and political influence in high-profile corruption cases.
The corruption case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams has reached a critical juncture with the resignation of multiple prosecutors following the Justice Department's directive to dismiss the charges. The case, which began in 2021 and includes allegations of bribery involving wealthy businesspeople and a Turkish government official, now faces uncertainty as Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove seeks to find prosecutors willing to implement the dismissal while leaving open the possibility of future charges.
