The RecordExhibit 5
Dropped the corruption case against NYC's mayor, and prosecutors quit
Alleged means: Serious, credible accusations of illegality that no court or watchdog has decided yet.
The Justice Department ordered prosecutors to drop bribery charges against New York Mayor Eric Adams, saying the case hampered his ability to help with immigration enforcement.
What happened
Danielle Sassoon, the acting U.S. attorney in Manhattan and a conservative Trump appointee, resigned rather than comply. She wrote that Adams's lawyers had pushed what amounted to a quid pro quo: help with immigration enforcement in exchange for dismissal. She also said acting Deputy AG Emil Bove had a prosecutor's notes of that meeting collected. At least seven prosecutors resigned in protest. Bove is now a federal judge.
Where it stands
On April 2, 2025, Judge Dale Ho dismissed the case permanently, so the charges can never be refiled, saying he could not force the department to prosecute. He rejected the department's stated reasons and wrote that 'everything here smacks of a bargain': dismissal in exchange for immigration policy concessions. He said his ruling was not an opinion on the allegations against the mayor. Both Adams and Bove denied in court that there was any deal.
The administration's side
Adams's lawyer called the quid pro quo claim a total lie. Bove said the prosecution was politically motivated and interfered with Adams's ability to govern. After the dismissal, the Justice Department called the case political weaponization and a waste of resources.
Sources
Permanent link: https://unredactedrecord.com/e/adams/