Trump’s Justice Department order to drop charges against NYC Mayor Eric Adams sparks mass resignations
Several senior officials at the Justice Department resigned in protest on Thursday rather than comply with an order to drop a bribery case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams. The resignations came amid President Donald Trump’s efforts to overhaul the agency, which he claimed had been weaponized against political opponents.
Acting Manhattan U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon, who was appointed by Trump, was among the six officials who resigned. In a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi, Sassoon expressed her bewilderment at the rushed and superficial process that led to the decision to drop the case against Adams. She accused the administration of rewarding Adams for his advocacy in exchange for dismissing his case, calling it an improper offer of immigration enforcement assistance.
Adams, a Democrat, had been accused of accepting bribes from Turkish officials and had pleaded not guilty to the charges. His lawyer, Alex Spiro, dismissed the charges as a “sham” and criticized the prosecution for lacking evidence.
In a memo, Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove, a Trump appointee, accepted Sassoon’s resignation and accused her of losing sight of her oath to uphold justice. Bove defended the decision to drop the case against Adams, citing a finding that the prosecution had weaponized the justice system.
Following Sassoon’s refusal to comply with the order to dismiss the case, John Keller, the acting head of the Justice Department’s public corruption unit, was directed by the Trump administration to do so. Keller also resigned, along with Kevin Driscoll, a senior official in the department’s criminal division, and three deputies in the public corruption unit.
Bove defended the decision to drop the case against Adams, stating that it was necessary to prioritize national security and public safety over pursuing a tainted case. He emphasized the importance of executing the priorities of the Executive Branch, as determined by the American people.
Since taking office, Trump has fired more than a dozen federal prosecutors who had pursued cases against him. The administration’s decision to drop the case against Adams has sparked controversy and led to multiple resignations within the Justice Department.
The White House has not yet responded to inquiries about the resignations. Bove expressed his commitment to working with new leadership at the Southern District of New York on the priorities set forth by President Trump to enhance national security and public safety.
