Federal Prosecutors Quit Rather Than Comply with Order to Drop Charges Against Eric Adams

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Acting U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon resigned rather than comply with an order to drop corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams. At least five other prosecutors quit too.

Sassoon, a Republican appointed to the position of Manhattan federal prosecutor by Donald Trump in January 2025, was ordered by Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove III of the Department of Justice to drop the charges. Bove said this had nothing to do with the merits of the case. It was because Trump needed Adams’ cooperation for such policies as immigration roundups. The day of Bove’s order, 10 February 2025, Adams directed NYC officials and law enforcement not to impede federal immigration enforcement and not to criticize Donald Trump.

At least to other federal prosecutors in the Manhattan office resigned in addition to Sassoon.

Bove transferred the case to the Public Integrity Section (PIN) in the Criminal Division of the DOJ. The head PIN, the senior career civil servant in the Criminal Division, and three deputy chiefs at PIN resigned rather than drop the case. A fourth was expected to resign as soon as possible after giving birth.

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