NEW YORK – Danielle Sassoon, Manhattan’s top federal prosecutor, resigned Thursday after refusing to drop corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams, despite pressure from the Justice Department. Some are calling the move ambitious, while others see it as defiant.
Mayor Adams, however, dismissed her decision, calling it “silly.”
“It is a breathtaking and dangerous precedent to reward Adams’s opportunistic and shifting commitments on immigration and other policy matters with dismissal of a criminal indictment.”
— Danielle Sassoon
Sassoon argued it was a dangerous precedent to dismiss the case for political reasons, calling it a reward for Adams’ shifting positions on immigration and other policies.
When asked about her resignation, Adams criticized the timing, saying, “she took three weeks to report a criminal action in front of her. Come on, this is silly.”
Her resignation marked a dramatic escalation in a standoff over the Trump administration’s political influence on legal matters.
In addition to Sassoon, the acting chief, three deputy chiefs, and a deputy assistant attorney general in the criminal division also resigned.
Sassoon’s bold decision has left many wondering who she is and why she chose to publicly stand against the Justice Department.
Who is Danielle Sassoon?
Danielle Sassoon, a Republican and former clerk for Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, was confirmed as the interim U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York.
She was not the prosecutor who charged Mayor Adams; that was Damian Williams, who resigned after Trump’s re-election.
Sassoon took the interim position on January 21, the day after Trump became president. It was expected to be temporary, with Trump planning to nominate Jay Clayton, former SEC chairman, in November.
This marks the second time in five years that a conflict between Washington and New York led to a major leadership change at the Justice Department.
What did Sassoon’s resignation letter say?
A dispute within the Justice Department over a major corruption case became clear through letters exchanged between Sassoon in New York and Bove in Washington. Bove, acting Deputy Attorney General, argued the case should be dropped to allow New York Mayor Adams to assist Trump on immigration and campaign for re-election.
Sassoon, a Republican, accused Adams’ lawyers of offering a “quid pro quo” — help on immigration in exchange for dismissing the case. Sassoon believed Adams was guilty of crimes listed in his indictment and even more. She also stated prosecutors had been preparing to charge Adams with destroying evidence and misleading the FBI.
The exchange came amid significant leadership changes at the Justice Department, following the swearing-in of Trump ally Pam Bondi as attorney general. The department had seen several firings, transfers, and resignations in the early days of Trump’s second term.
