Last week, Emil Bove, the acting deputy attorney general, swiftly moved to dismiss the corruption case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams, signaling a new direction for the Justice Department where prosecutorial decisions may be influenced by Trump’s political agenda.
The dismissal motion was filed on Friday, backed by the signatures of Bove, along with two trial attorneys: Edward Sullivan, senior litigation counsel from the public integrity section, and Antoinette Bacon, the acting head of the criminal division.
Although US District Judge Dale Ho has mandated an evidentiary hearing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the withdrawal of the charges, including the protest resignation of the acting US attorney in Manhattan, the general consensus is that the case is effectively concluded.
This push for dismissal underscores the new trajectory that Bove, as the second in command at the Justice Department, is establishing, aligning with Donald Trump’s concept of a unitary executive, wherein the president influences decisions across all agencies.
In his directive to drop the case, Bove stated that “continuing these proceedings would obstruct the defendant’s ability to govern New York City, potentially jeopardizing public safety, national security, and federal immigration policies aimed at deporting undocumented immigrants.”
The memo emphasized that supporting a mayor involved in a significant immigration enforcement agenda outweighed the need to pursue bribery charges against a local official, indicating that future prosecutorial priorities will weigh policy considerations against case merits.
Bove’s drive to expedite the dismissal also demonstrated his commitment to reinforce the Justice Department’s direction after facing resignations from seven prosecutors that skirmished with the administration, according to inside sources.
Danielle Sassoon, the acting US attorney for the Southern District of New York, attempted to delay the dismissal, fearing it could destabilize the established hierarchy of the department, which reports ultimately to the Justice Department in Washington.
Bove’s decisive leadership in managing daily operations prior to Senate confirmation for Trump’s nominee for deputy attorney general, Todd Blanche, has reportedly garnered encouragement from Trump himself, according to a senior administration figure.
Trump showed little concern over the resignations, and the White House has been pleased as it allows for the placement of loyalists in senior Justice Department roles without the complications of controversial dismissals.
The Justice Department did not provide a comment on the matter.
Bove, typically measured in his demeanor and a former co-chief of the national security and international narcotics section at the Manhattan US attorney’s office, reportedly sympathized with Sassoon’s intention to proceed with the case she had initiated, as per sources familiar with their discussions.
Bove has previously faced the necessity of dismissing charges himself, notably in the case involving Iranian banker Ali Sadr Hashemi Nejad when defense attorneys accused his team of withholding evidence. He was not charged with any wrongdoing.
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In at least one conversation prior to Bove’s formal dismissal order, Sassoon was informed that Trump’s political appointees would review the case once confirmed by the Senate, and advised to drop the charges “without prejudice” for potential later re-filing.
However, after Bove sent his directives on Monday, Sassoon did not take any action. Following another day with no developments, Bove and the Justice Department’s chief of staff, Chad Mizelle, initiated a call, informing Sassoon she needed to submit the dismissal motion by the end of the business day.
Bove recognized Sassoon’s lack of intent to comply when, after a full day had passed without action, he ceased answering her calls. Ultimately, Sassoon’s response was a critical eight-page letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi, pleading for the continuance of the Adams case.
Subsequent actions unfolded rapidly: Bove accepted Sassoon’s resignation, suspended her deputies for insubordination, and reassigned the case to the public integrity section at the Justice Department in Washington.
Despite resignations from the acting criminal division head Kevin Driscoll, the acting public integrity section leader John Keller, and three deputies, as well as Sassoon’s deputy Hagan Scotten criticizing the “without prejudice” dismissal, Bove proceeded to the next steps.
On Friday morning, Bove convened approximately 20 prosecutors in the public integrity section via video call at 9:45 am. He expressed the desire to wrap up a lengthy week, stating he wanted everyone to move forward without any trouble, noting he would not inquire about opposition to the dismissal motion, but required two trial attorneys’ names as standard practice.
Within the deadline he set, senior litigation counsel Edward Sullivan complied to take the burden off fellow colleagues. Bove added his name to the motion, indicating he was ready to argue the case in court if necessary, according to a source familiar with the developments.
