In a letter foreshadowing her decision, Sassoon accused the department of acceding to a “quid pro quo” — dropping the case to ensure Adams’ help with Trump’s immigration agenda. Though a Democrat, Adams had positioned himself as eager for months to aid the administration’s effort in America’s largest city. He met with Trump privately at Trump’s Florida estate just days before the Republican took office.
Multiple high-ranking officials who oversaw the Justice Department’s public integrity section, which prosecutes corruption cases, joined Sassoon in resigning.
On Friday, a prosecutor involved in the Adams case, Hagan Scotten, became at least the seventh person to quit in the standoff. In a letter, he told Bove that it would take a “fool” or a “coward” to meet his demand to drop the charges. (Bove and department lawyers in Washington ultimately filed paperwork Friday night to end the case.)
Though the circumstances are significantly different, the wave of resignations conjured memories of the 1973 “Saturday Night Massacre” when multiple Justice Department leaders quit rather than carry out President Richard Nixon’s orders to fire the Watergate special prosecutor.
“Even though there may not be more resignations, a clear message has been sent about the objectives and the expectations of the department,” said Alberto Gonzales, who served as attorney general under Republican President George W. Bush until his 2007 resignation in the wake of the dismissal of several U.S. attorneys.
“The purpose of the department is to ensure that our laws are carried out, that those who engage in criminal wrongdoing are prosecuted and punished,” Gonzales said. And to some, it may appear “that if you have some kind of relationship with the White House, there may not be consequences for doing something that ordinary Americans engaged in similar conduct would be punished.”
Bove, a former New York federal prosecutor who represented Trump in his criminal cases, pointedly did not assess the case’s legal merits against Adams. Bove cited political reasons, including the timing of the charges months before Adams’ presumed reelection campaign and the restrictions the case had placed on the Mayor’s ability to fight illegal immigration and violent crime.
In a letter to Sassoon, Bove said case prosecutors would be subject to internal investigations.
In a Fox News interview Friday, Bondi defended the decision to drop the case and asserted that Adams was targeted after criticizing the Biden administration’s immigration policies. Her chief of staff, Chad Mizelle, said prosecutors who refused the dismissal order have “no place at DOJ.”
“The decision to dismiss the indictment of Eric Adams is yet another indication that this DOJ will return to its core function of prosecuting dangerous criminals, not pursuing politically motivated witch hunts,” Mizelle said in a statement that accused prosecutors without evidence of “disordered and ulterior motives.”
At the White House on Friday, Trump said he was “not involved” in the Adams case and knew “nothing” about it.
The New York showdown follows a separate dispute between Bove and the acting FBI leadership over his demands for a list of agents involved in the investigations of the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol so the Justice Department could determine whether personnel action was warranted.
Some saw the request as a precursor to possible mass firings. Still, it was also consistent with Trump’s fury over those criminal cases, which he erased with sweeping pardons soon after his inauguration.
Bove referred to the acting FBI director’s resistance to his directive as an act of “insubordination” and said agents who “simply followed” orders would not lose their jobs, but those who acted with “partisan intent” were at risk.
In between White House terms, Trump and his allies pressed the case that the Justice Department had become “weaponized” against conservatives and him in particular, citing separate indictments that were later dismissed after Trump won back the presidency in November.
On her first day on the job, Bondi announced the creation of a “Weaponization Working Group” to scrutinize the prosecutors who brought criminal and civil cases against Trump and examine the Jan. 6 prosecutions. In a memo, she wrote that the department “must take immediate and overdue steps to restore integrity and credibility” and ensure that personnel were “ready and willing” to implement the president’s agenda.
The group, notably, was not tasked with examining other politically sensitive matters more favorable to Trump, including a special counsel’s investigation of Democratic President Joe Biden’s handling of classified information or the prosecution of Biden’s son Hunter, who was convicted of gun and tax charges before receiving a pardon from his father in December.
Among the prosecutors singled out by the working group was special counsel Jack Smith, who brought two criminal cases against Trump, and New York Attorney General Letitia James, whose civil fraud suit against Trump led to a nearly $500 million judgment.
A frequent target of Trump’s ire, James would surface again days later when Bondi, in her first news conference, announced a lawsuit against New York state over a law allowing people who might not be in the U.S. legally to get a driver’s license. Bondi opened her remarks by saying she had “filed charges” against James and Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul before later clarifying that she was referring to a lawsuit.
More departures — and more turmoil — could be ahead.
“The prospect of the hollowing out of the Justice Department and the (FBI) is now a live and dangerous risk being played out,” said Laufman, the retired prosecutor. “Where it goes from here, we just can’t currently assess.”
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Republished with permission of The Associated Press.
Associated Press
16 comments
Michael K
February 16, 2025 at 10:13 am
The Attorney General is not Trump’s personal attorney. But here we are. Trump bought her for $25,000 with his fraudulent university that scammed people in Florida (and elsewhere). She was one of his lawyers for his lie of election denial – and she still refuses to admit she also lied on the felon’s behalf.
The MAGAs reject the Constitution in favor of power and money at any cost the oligarchs and plutocrats are willing to pay them.
At least some members of the Justice Department dare to do the right thing – resign rather than violate their oath – to reject the corruption of President Musk and his minion, Trump. This is how fascism begins.
PeterH
February 16, 2025 at 2:36 pm
Excellent post Michael! In this troubling time, the American public’s only option for seeking reliable information is from leakers and the media. We can no longer trust Trump, the Justice Department or for that matter any Agency connected to the Federal Government. Most concerning involves our trusted international partners who can never share intelligence with anyone in our government.
PeterH
February 17, 2025 at 1:09 pm
Excellent post Michael! In this troubling time, the American public’s only option for seeking reliable information is from leakers and the media. We can no longer trust Trump, the Justice Department or for that matter any Agency connected to the Federal Government. Most concerning involves our trusted international partners who can never share intelligence with anyone in our government.
patrick Calautti
February 18, 2025 at 10:24 am
New York AG: Will work with Trump ‘if possible’ Is a line Bull @#$%
JD
February 16, 2025 at 10:15 am
LAWFARE – weaponization of the Justice system right there. Just like they were projecting, they are DOING IT.
And just like the SCOTUS justices, Bondi LIED to in her confirmation hearings. How do you know a Trumpian is lying? They’re talking or typing.
Skeptic
February 16, 2025 at 11:05 am
It could be worse. The GOP surrender monkeys could betray our allies and seek a separate peace in Europe. Oh, sorry, I guess it is worse.
EARL PITTS AMERICAN
February 16, 2025 at 11:07 am
BUZZ BUZZ ….. BUZZ BUZZ
BUZZ BUZZ ….. BUZZ BUZZ
We inturupt your Sunday Morn ‘Ting routine to advise that the above is a DOOK 4 BRAINS LEFTIST SLANTED PACK OF LIES from the UN-AMERICAN A. P.
THANK YOU EARL PITTS AMERICAN
Bonnie Jackson
February 16, 2025 at 11:10 am
@Fla_Pol joins the rest of legacy media in proving #MAGA right any why it is so strong. They dont give us news. Everything is laced with a dose of their liberal, subjective opinion. Seven people have resigned from DOJ and legacy media is frothing at the mouth.
TJC
February 16, 2025 at 3:32 pm
Bullshit.
PeterH
February 16, 2025 at 4:23 pm
Complete nonsense Bonnie. The USA can no longer be trusted. We’ve lost all credibility by installing incompetent and unfit Agency department heads and subordinates. They’re all Project 2025 puppets now.
Ocean Joe
February 17, 2025 at 9:24 am
I watched Jan 6 unfold LIVE on tv. Did not need some talking head’s slant on it from left or right. It was disgraceful, people died, were seriously injured, and our long tradition of the peaceful transfer of power was ended by one spoiled brat thug who has rarely been held accountable for anything.
Now Ms. Bondi, who dropped his fraud case, is using the DOJ to cover his tracks. Trump hopes he can erase January 6 from history and the way some people worship him, he may succeed.
LawLib
February 16, 2025 at 12:00 pm
Is anyone surprised that Bondi is doing an “about-face”after her testimony before the Senate on her plans NOT to politicize the Attorney General’s office? Karma will eventually strike hard and often on all these bold-face Republican/Maga liars who subvert their better judgment to appease that vengeful dude in the WH.
Jack Ivey
February 16, 2025 at 12:53 pm
Remember, AP has been subsidized by the US gov; for years. All good things must end for those on the gravel train.
TJC
February 16, 2025 at 3:38 pm
AP being “subsidized” by the U.S. government is just another one of Trump’s many bullshit lies.
ScienceBLVR
February 16, 2025 at 1:29 pm
I have followed Bondi’s rise from Hillsborough(where she was still reasonably professional) to the state( this is where the transformation began), and though, her radicalization started slowly, the MAGA locomotive must have crushed her soul. And then there’s the dog thing.. when people reveal themselves, you should pay attention.
Elmo
February 18, 2025 at 7:42 am
This is what is known as a coup. As Sheldon Whitehouse said; “They are firing the police before they rob the bank.”