Three federal prosecutors resigned after the Department of Justice ordered them to dismiss the corruption charges brought against New York City Mayor Eric Adams last year.
On Monday, the acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove ordered federal prosecutors to drop Adams' charges because they compromised his ability to handle "illegal immigration and violent crime," a priority for the Trump administration, NBC News reported.
Danielle R. Sassoon, the conservative acting U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, was the first to announce her resignation in a statement for her colleagues. Bove then sent her a scathing letter for not immediately following his orders. He also placed at least two additional New York federal prosecutors who worked on Adams' case on leave, according to reporting by NBC News.
"The Justice Department will not tolerate the insubordination and apparent misconduct reflected in the approach that you and your office have taken in this matter," Bove wrote. "Your office's insubordination is little more than a preference to avoid a duty that you regard as unpleasant and politically inconvenient."
John Keller, the acting head of the Public Integrity Section, and Kevin Driscoll, the acting head of the department's criminal division, which oversees national federal criminal cases, followed suit by choosing the resign rather than dismiss the charges against Adams.
To further complicate matters, Bove stated in his directive to drop the case that the Justice Department can potentially renew its investigation into Adams in the future, which NBC News reported raised concerns on whether the case is being used as leverage by the Trump administration against Adams.
When the Trump administration first announced its crackdown on illegal immigrants, Adams promised New York City would be a "sanctuary city," but he has held numerous meetings with members of the administration, including Border Czar Tom Homan.
© 2025 Latin Times. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
