The Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed a motion to drop corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams, following a series of resignations by top prosecutors in protest this week.
Edward Sullivan, an attorney from the DOJ’s Public Integrity Section, signed the paperwork on Friday to begin the process of formally dismissing the charges.
This move ends a standoff between DOJ prosecutors and acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove, who earlier this week ordered the Southern District of New York to dismiss the case against Adams. The request led to a sharp letter from acting U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon to Attorney General Pam Bondi, accusing Bove and other DOJ leaders of being aware of a suggested quid pro quo by Adams’ attorneys, claiming that dismissing the case would strengthen Adams’ vocal support for Trump’s immigration policies. Sassoon and three other senior officials resigned in protest over the matter.
The dispute continued into Friday, with many prosecutors refusing to sign the dismissal paperwork, leading to further resignations. Bove reportedly warned the remaining staff that there would be consequences if the paperwork wasn’t signed, which ultimately led to the filing of the motion to dismiss. A federal judge will now need to decide whether to approve the dismissal.
The case stems from an indictment in September, where Adams was charged with accepting illegal gifts, such as plane upgrades and hotel stays, from Turkish businessmen in exchange for political favors. The indictment also accused him of receiving illegal campaign donations from Turkish nationals. Adams has denied all charges and claims he is being politically targeted, despite the case involving actions that took place before President Biden’s administration.
Adams’ lawyer, Alex Spiro, rejected the notion of a quid pro quo, calling it a “total lie,” and emphasized that no promises were made to the DOJ. Meanwhile, Chad Mizelle, Bondi’s chief of staff, criticized the prosecutors who resisted the dismissal, labeling their actions as politically motivated.
