Trump DOJ Sparks Uproar as Top Prosecutors Quit Over Order to Drop NYC Mayor’s Corruption Case

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Alex Bollinger
February 15, 2025
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8 minutes read

JOSE LUIS MAGANA/ASSOCIATED PRESS

The Justice Department under Trump is facing a firestorm after Manhattan’s top federal prosecutor, Danielle Sassoon, and five high-ranking DOJ officials resigned in protest. Their reason? Refusing to drop corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams—an order that came straight from the Trump administration.

According to The Associated Press, Sassoon accused the DOJ of engaging in a “quid pro quo” by attempting to dismiss Adams’ case in exchange for his help with Trump’s immigration crackdown. She was firm in her belief that Adams had committed crimes beyond what was in his indictment, including destroying evidence and directing others to provide false information to the FBI.

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“I remain baffled by the rushed and superficial process by which this decision was reached,” Sassoon wrote in a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi, which AP obtained.

The controversy started when acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove—who previously worked as Trump’s personal lawyer—ordered Sassoon on Monday to drop the charges against Adams. In a letter accepting her resignation, Bove accused Sassoon of being “incapable of fairly and impartially” handling the case. He also placed case prosecutors on leave and launched internal investigations against them.

Adding to the turmoil, the DOJ’s public integrity section—the unit that handles corruption cases—saw a wave of resignations, including its acting chief, three deputy chiefs, and a deputy assistant attorney general.

Meanwhile, Adams, who pleaded not guilty to corruption charges last September, continues to deny any wrongdoing. Prosecutors allege he accepted over $100,000 in illegal campaign contributions, and luxury travel perks, and solicited foreign donations for his campaign, violating federal law.

In an explosive twist, Sassoon claimed Adams’ lawyers privately pushed a deal—his cooperation on immigration policies in exchange for dropping the charges—something Adams’ attorney Alex Spiro quickly denied, calling the accusation a “total lie.”

US Justice Department — Justice Department Headquarters Building (Photo by J. David Ake/Getty Images)

Bove’s decision to dismiss the case, focusing on political benefits rather than legal merits, has alarmed career prosecutors. Traditionally, DOJ leadership avoids interfering in cases with filed charges, but this move signals a clear shift in priorities under Trump’s new administration.

With Sassoon out, her deputy Matthew Podolsky has stepped in as acting U.S. attorney, just days after being promoted. Meanwhile, Trump’s nominee for the permanent position, former SEC chairman Jay Clayton, awaits confirmation.

The fallout from this case is eerily reminiscent of 2020 when Trump’s DOJ forced out U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman in another dramatic clash between Washington and New York prosecutors. Now, with resignations piling up and accusations of political favoritism flying, the Justice Department is once again at the center of a scandal that shows no signs of cooling down.