Danielle Sassoon, Manhattan’s interim U.S. attorney, resigned Thursday along with five senior Justice Department officials after refusing to drop corruption charges against Mayor Eric Adams. Sassoon accused the department of political interference, claiming the case was dismissed in exchange for Adams’ help with Trump’s immigration agenda. She alleged Adams committed additional crimes, including evidence tampering.
Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove, a former Trump lawyer, ordered the case’s dismissal and placed Sassoon and her team on administrative leave. His memo cited political considerations rather than legal grounds, sparking widespread resignations within the department’s public integrity section.
The scandal underscores growing concerns over politicization in the Justice Department. With Adams’ case still active, the fallout threatens to deepen rifts between Washington and one of the country’s most independent prosecutor’s offices.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to [email protected].