Prosecutor Claims Only a 'Fool' or 'Coward' Would Dismiss Eric Adams' Charges in Scathing Resignation Letter

Another federal prosecutor has resigned from their position after the Department of Justice dismissed all federal charges in the corruption case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams, submitting an incredibly strongly worded letter to indicate their resignation.

Hagan Scotten, who had been a line prosecutor in the case against Adams, addressed his letter directly to acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove, President Donald Trump's former personal attorney.

"Any assistant U.S. attorney would know that our laws and traditions do not allow using the prosecutorial power to influence other citizens, much less elected officials, in this way," Scotten wrote in the letter.

"If no lawyer within earshot of the President is willing to give him that advice, then I expect you will eventually find someone who is enough of a fool, or enough of a coward, to file your motion," he added. "But it was never going to be me."

Scotten is the seventh prosecutor to resign to protest the dismissal of charges levied against Adams. Acting U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon resigned almost immediately after prosecutors were ordered to drop the charges by the DOJ.

Sassoon sent a separate letter to the office of newly-confirmed Attorney General Pam Bondi in which she details an alleged "quid pro quo" offered to prosecutors on the case by the DOJ.

"I attended a meeting on January 31, 2025, with Mr. Bove, Adams' counsel, and members of my office. Adams's attorneys repeatedly urged what amounted to a quid pro quo, indicating that Adams would be in a position to assist with Department's enforcement priorities only if the indictment were dismissed. Mr. Bove admonished a member of my team who took notes during that meeting and directed the collection of those notes at the meeting's conclusion," Sassoon wrote.

Scotten himself pointed out that the dismissal of charges against Adams "without prejudice" actually amounted to a "dismissal with leverage," echoing sentiments voiced by other Democratic legislators as to whether or not the Trump administration intends to use the threat of reinstating charges against Adams as leverage against the NYC mayor.

"No system of ordered liberty can allow the Government to use the carrot of dismissing charges, or the stick of threatening to bring them again, to induce an elected official to support its policy objectives," he wrote.