The acting U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, Danielle Sassoon, resigned on Thursday, following instructions to drop a five-count bribery case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
Her departure, as reported by The New York Times, adds a layer of political intrigue to the mayor's situation regarding conditional clemency.
Political Intrigue Unfolds
Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove directed Sassoon, a Trump-appointed official, to halt the case against Adams. The mayor faced allegations of receiving unlawful campaign donations and travel benefits in exchange for official favors to benefit the Turkish government.
Bove's directive cited the upcoming April trial as a hindrance to Adams' alignment with President Donald Trump's immigration policies and his reelection campaign. Despite this, Bove did not assess the case's merits, leaving room for potential reopening after the June Democratic primary.
Legal Pursuits and Political Tensions
Sassoon, appointed by Trump to oversee Manhattan's federal prosecution office until a Senate-confirmed U.S. attorney takes charge, had aggressively pursued the case.
Recent filings from her office hinted at additional criminal allegations against Adams beyond those in the initial indictment. Sassoon also rebutted claims by the mayor, suggesting that the investigation predates his criticisms of the Biden administration's immigration policies.
Despite these developments, a spokesperson for the Southern District refrained from commenting on the situation.
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