The U.S. Division of Justice filed courtroom paperwork Friday to dismiss federal corruption case towards New York Metropolis Mayor Eric Adams, after two days of resignations from prosecutors who refused to take action.
The submitting doesn’t instantly finish the high-profile case. A federal courtroom choose should approve the choice to drop the costs.
In keeping with three former DOJ attorneys, all of whom are in contact with present division attorneys, the movement to dismiss Adams case was signed by a trial lawyer with the Public Integrity Part who’s nearing retirement.
The movement looking for dismissal with out prejudice — which means the case may probably be prosecuted sooner or later — was filed Friday night.
The courtroom paperwork comes after the appearing U.S. Legal professional for the Southern District of New York, Danielle Sassoon, give up on Thursday after she obtained related orders from Bove to dismiss the case towards the mayor. She refused, and in a letter to newly minted U.S. Legal professional Basic Pam Bondi, urged her to rethink directive to dismiss, which she wrote “raises serious concerns that render the contemplated dismissal inconsistent with my ability and duty to prosecute federal crimes without fear or favor and to advance good-faith arguments before the courts.”
Bove’s memo mentioned federal prosecutors wanted to drop the case partly as a result of it impacted Adams’ potential to deal with “unlawful immigration and violent crime.”
In her letter to Bondi, Sassoon mentioned Adams’ attorneys in a gathering with the DOJ in January primarily proposed a “quid pro quo.”
“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.
Adams’ lawyer, Alex Spiro, denied Sassoon’s recounting of the assembly and her allegation of a “quid pro quo” proposal.
“The idea that there was a quid pro quo is a total lie. We offered nothing and the department asked nothing of us,” Spiro mentioned in an announcement to NBC New York. “I don’t know what ‘amounted to’ means. We were asked if the case had any bearing on national security and immigration enforcement and we truthfully answered it did.”
In an announcement Friday, Mayor Adams additionally rejected the notion.
“I want to be crystal clear with New Yorkers: I never offered — nor did anyone offer on my behalf — any trade of my authority as your mayor for an end to my case. Never,” the mayor’s assertion learn partly. Adams additionally mentioned he was “solely beholden” to town’s residents’ whom he urged to “put this difficult episode behind us so that trust can be restored.”
Sassoon additionally mentioned within the letter that her workplace was getting ready to file further costs towards Adams “based on evidence that Adams destroyed and instructed others to destroy evidence and provide false information to the FBI.”
Spiro dismissed that allegation as properly, saying if prosecutors had proof the mayor destroyed proof, they’d have introduced these costs, slamming her declare as “the parting shot of a prosecution uncovered as a sham.”
Hagan Scotten wrote to Bove on Friday, saying he was by no means requested by Sassoon to dismiss the Adams case “and I therefore never had an opportunity to refuse. But I am entirely in agreement her decision not to do so.” Bove had positioned Scotten on go away on Thursday, after Sassoon mentioned in her letter that the prosecution crew agreed along with her choice to not adjust to Bove’s order.
In all, 5 different high-ranking Justice Division officers resigned Thursday along with Sassoon, a shocking escalation in a dayslong standoff over accusations the Trump administration is prioritizing political goals over prison culpability.
Adams had pleaded not responsible to the costs and has denied any wrongdoing, saying the case was politically motivated. Numerous New York Democrats have began calling for the mayor to step down or be eliminated by Gov. Kathy Hochul, together with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, State Sen. Michael Gianaris, NYC Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, and Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado.
New York Legal professional Basic mentioned on Friday that there are “discussions going on on the state level, a number of discussions going on on the local level, and private discussions” concerning Adams. She added that she didn’t need to remark additional till talks are over “and we determine the fate of the mayor of the City of New York.”
Hochul has mentioned she’s weighing her choices, together with her constitutional authority to take away the mayor.
“This just happened. I need some time to figure out the right approach,” the governor mentioned Thursday night time.
Different state lawmakers acknowledged that even when the governor acts, it may take time.
“A removal is not as simple as snapping her fingers. There is a process and opportunity for the person being removed to be heard,” mentioned State Sen. Michael Gianaris.
Bove mentioned the Justice Division will now take over the Adams case from the SDNY.
“I take no pleasure in imposing these measures, initiating investigations, and requiring personnel from the Justice Department to come to your District to do work that your team should have done and was required to do,” Bove mentioned.
Requested by reporters Thursday whether or not he requested that the costs be dismissed, President Donald Trump mentioned, “No, I didn’t. I know nothing about it.”
