7 Prosecutors Resign Over Charges Against Mayor Eric Adams ⚖️

Seven prosecutors have stepped down following an order from the Department of Justice to drop charges against Mayor Eric Adams, reports CNN.

Hagen Scotten was put on administrative leave on Thursday (Feb. 13) for declining to support the dismissal of the charges.

In a correspondence to acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove, Scotten labeled the DOJ’s move as “dismissal-with-leverage.”

“Any assistant U.S. attorney would recognize that our laws and traditions prohibit using prosecutorial power to influence other citizens, especially elected officials, in this manner,” Scotten expressed.

“If there is no attorney within earshot of the President willing to offer him that counsel, then I anticipate you will ultimately discover someone who is either foolish enough or cowardly enough to file your motion,” Scotten remarked. “However, that person will never be me.”

Scotten criticized the reasoning of the Justice Department’s leadership for seeking to dismiss the case, suggesting that Adams could focus his “full attention and resources” on combating illegal immigration and his upcoming 2025 reelection bid.

“No system of ordered liberty permits the Government to use the incentive of dropping charges, or the threat of reinstating them, to compel an elected official to align with its policy goals,” the letter further stated.

In September, Adams was indicted on charges of corruption and fraud, marking the first case against a sitting mayor in the modern era of New York City.

Damian Williams, appointed by former President Joe Biden as the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, initiated the charges against Adams. He resigned in November following Trump’s election to the presidency.

On Monday (February 10), Bove publicly announced an order directing prosecutors to dismiss all corruption charges against Adams.

A senior official noted that the Justice Department would reassess the charges once a new U.S. attorney appointed by President Trump is confirmed.