US Attorney Resigns After Refusing to Drop High-Stakes Eric Adams Case

The Manhattan federal prosecutor resigned on Thursday after refusing an order from the Justice Department that would have dropped all charges of corruption against New York City Mayor Eric Adams.

A spokeswoman confirmed Danielle Sassoon’s resignation. Sassoon was a Republican and the interim U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York.

A senior Justice Department official told New York prosecutors not to pursue the case, prompting Adams’ resignation. Those who wanted to buy Adams’ influence accused him of accepting illegal donations and bribes such as discounted or free flights.

In a memo sent on Monday, Acting Deputy Attorney-General Emil Bove asked that the case be dismissed to allow Adams, a Democrat who is running for reelection in 2018, to help President Donald Trump crackdown on illegal immigration.

Justice Department representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Alex Spiro, Adams’ attorney, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A spokesperson from the Mayor did not immediately respond either.

Career prosecutors expressed alarm over the Justice Department’s decision. The Justice Department’s decision was based on political considerations and not the strength of the evidence.

The prosecution team in New York did not make any public statements despite Bove’s orders to dismiss the case quickly.

Pam Bondi stated that the U.S. attorney general will “look at what’s stopping charges from being dismissed.”

Sassoon is a conservative. He was a former clerk of the late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia and a member of the conservative Federalist Society. Former U.S. attorney Damian Williams brought the Adams case last year. When Trump was elected, he resigned.

Sassoon became acting U.S. attorney on January 21, just a day following Trump’s inauguration.

Trump nominated Jay Clayton to fill the position in November. This nomination must be confirmed by the Senate.

Her Southern District New York Office is one of America’s largest and most prominent prosecution offices. The office has a track record in fighting Wall Street, international terrorism, and political corruption.

The district has been known as “the sovereign district” for its independence.

Bannon was charged with almost the same crimes by state prosecutors as when Trump pardoned him.

Sassoon was appointed as a U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecutor in 2016 She was involved in a prosecution in 2023 for the fraud of Sam Bankman Fried, the founder of FTX. Until very recently, she served as the co-chief for criminal appeals.

Adams was Brooklyn Borough president when he was indicted. The federal government accused him of illegally receiving $100,000 in campaign contributions, as well as extravagant travel benefits. These included expensive flight upgrades, luxurious hotel stays, and even a trip to the bathhouse.

Indictment: The Turkish official who helped organize the trip asked Adams for favors. Adams had to lobby for a newly built 36-story diplomatic facility to be opened for the president of Turkey to visit.

Federal law prohibits foreigners from contributing to U.S. political campaigns.

The prosecutors indicated in court documents that they were still investigating the “additional criminal conduct of Adams”.

Bove writes that Justice Department officials failed to evaluate the evidence before deciding on dropping the case, at least after the November mayoral elections.

Williams said that his “recent” actions had “threatened the integrity of proceedings” and “increased the negative publicity before trial”. Williams hadn’t talked publicly about the Adams Case since his resignation. Williams published an editorial criticizing the corruption in politics.

Other senior Adams advisors were also being investigated by federal agents. It was unclear what the future of this investigation would be.