Manhattan’s U.S. attorney resigned on Thursday, along with five other Justice Department officials, after refusing to comply with an order to drop the corruption case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
Adams was indicted on September 25, 2024, with one count of conspiracy to receive campaign contributions from foreign nationals and commit wire fraud and bribery. He faced almost 20 years in Prison, and now the Trump administration wants to drop his charges. Adams was the first mayor in New York City to be charged with federal crimes while in office and pleaded not guilty.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon, who was prosecuting Adams, resigned on Thursday, according to the memorandum by Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove.
The abrupt resignations shocked legal and political communities and raised concerns about political interference in the justice system. Sasson had been leading the investigation on Adams for months, but sources say she was pressured to halt the prosecution but refused.
The Resignations could complicate the case moving forward, and public backlash is also growing. Politico reports that the Justice Department’s directive to dismiss the charges was linked to securing Adams’ cooperation with the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement priorities.
This is a developing story. Looking forward, the Justice Department may appoint a new prosecutor to replace Danielle Sasson or congressional oversight committees could investigate whether there was political interference in the decision to dismiss these charges.
