Acting Manhattan US Attorney Danielle Sassoon steps down after Trump DOJ orders Eric Adams case to be dropped

The top federal prosecutor in Manhattan stepped down Thursday?— days after?President Trump’s Department of Justice?ordered her office to drop its corruption case?against Mayor Eric Adams, sources said.

Danielle Sassoon’s?sudden resignation as Acting US Attorney for the Southern District of New York?came?days after the DOJ’s No. 2,?Emil Bove, directed the veteran prosecutor to move to dismiss the?bribery and wire fraud case against Adams.

It was not immediately clear who would replace Sassoon,?who was named as interim SDNY chief last month?while the president’s pick to lead the office,?Jay Clayton, awaits confirmation.

The Justice Department admitted in the memo that the demand had nothing to do with the strength of the evidence against Adams.

Bove said the prosecution should be dropped because it inappropriately interfere with Adams’ ability to lead the city and to help Trump with his immigration agenda.?

He also argued?allegations made without hard evidence that the case was brought against Adams due to his criticism of former President Joe Biden over the border crisis created the appearance of impropriety.

Sassoon, a registered Republican and former clerk for conservative Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia,?had previously shot down Adams’ claims that he was indicted for “any reason other than his crimes.”

“That claim disintegrated when discovery made clear that the investigation into Adams began more than a year earlier, based on concrete evidence that Adams had accepted illegal campaign contributions,” a recent filing hinting at further charges against the mayor that Sassoon signed read.

Monday’s letter from Washington?kicked off a waiting game in New York City and beyond to see whether the famously independent prosecutors with the Southern District would comply and file a motion to dismiss.

The SDNY’s reputation for autonomy from the political winds in Washington, DC, is so ingrained that it’s known as the “Sovereign District.”

Adams has pleaded not guilty to an indictment charging him with fast-tracking the opening of the Turkish consulate in Manhattan in exchange for $123,000 worth of travel perks, including a heavily discounted stay in the posh St. Istanbul Regis hotel’s “Bentley Suite,” designed to look like the luxury car.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.