“Justice Department dismisses high-profile case: U.S. attorney resigns”
Sassoon, who served as the acting U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, tendered her resignation on Thursday following a strongly worded memo she sent to Attorney General Pam Bondi. In the memo, Sassoon expressed her belief that Adams had committed the crimes he was charged with and voiced deep concern about the discussions during a January 31 meeting involving Bove, Adams’ attorneys, and herself.
According to Sassoon, Adams’ legal team had repeatedly hinted at a potential quid pro quo arrangement, suggesting that Adams could assist the Department with its enforcement priorities only if the indictment against him was dropped. A conservative with a background as a clerk for the late Justice Antonin Scalia, Sassoon stood firm in her decision not to dismiss the case.
Subsequently, the Justice Department transferred the case to its Public Integrity Section in Washington, a move that was met with resignations from multiple prosecutors within the unit who refused to comply with the directive to drop the charges. Following suit, a top prosecutor in Manhattan also resigned, bringing the total number of departures prompted by the order to seven.
The decision to file for the dismissal of the case came shortly after a video meeting held by Bove, Antoinette Bacon from the Justice Department’s criminal division, and members of the Public Integrity Section. Among those who signed the filing was Edward Sullivan, a senior litigation counsel within the section, who reportedly did so to protect his colleagues. Both Bove and Bacon also signed the document.
Legal experts viewed the Justice Department’s move to dismiss the case as highly unusual, potentially leaving Adams indebted to the Trump administration. Adams, a former New York police captain elected as mayor in 2021, faces allegations of engaging in a corruption scheme spanning nearly a decade, involving accepting $100,000 worth of complimentary airfare and luxury accommodation from affluent Turkish nationals.
Maintaining his innocence, Adams has entered a plea of not guilty, denouncing the charges as politically motivated. His attorney, Alex Spiro, has vehemently refuted any suggestions of a quid pro quo being proposed during the January 31 meeting. Despite mounting calls for his resignation amidst the Justice Department resignations, Adams has remained resolute in the face of scrutiny.
In a television appearance on “Fox & Friends” the following morning, Adams stood alongside Trump’s border chief, Tom Homan, expressing his refusal to step down and vowing to allow federal immigration officials to operate at the Rikers Island correctional facility in the city. Homan praised Adams’ commitment, emphasizing that he expected the mayor to honor his word, or face repercussions for failing to uphold their agreement.
