‘Sovereign’ Status of Manhattan Federal Prosecutor Hangs in the Balance
The New York Times
If Danielle R. Sassoon, the interim U.S. attorney, agrees to drop the prosecution of Mayor Eric Adams, the decision could threaten the reputation of a famously independent office.
Danielle R. Sassoon, the Southern District of New York’s interim United States attorney, was unequivocal: There was “concrete evidence” of crimes by Mayor Eric Adams of New York City, and his claims that his prosecution was politically motivated were meant to divert attention “from the evidence of his guilt.”
Ms. Sassoon’s vigorous defense of the corruption charges against Mr. Adams came last month in a letter filed in her name with the judge overseeing Mr. Adams’s case in Manhattan federal court. But senior Justice Department officials have raised the possibility of dropping the charges altogether and on Friday, Ms. Sassoon was in Washington to discuss the prospect.
Now Ms. Sassoon, who last month was placed in the top prosecutor’s post by the Trump administration, may face a crucial decision. The Southern District is the nation’s most prestigious U.S. attorney’s office, handling complex and challenging cases involving high finance, national security and public corruption. It has a reputation for independence and for fending off interference, particularly from officials in Washington.
Should Ms. Sassoon seek dismissal of the charges, she risks a potential uproar and even resignations among the office’s more than 200 assistant U.S. attorneys. Refusing such a directive could lead to another dismissal: Ms. Sassoon herself.
“It’s a defining moment for the office in terms of its independence and integrity,” said Jessica A. Roth, a former Southern District prosecutor who now teaches at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law.
Dropping the charges without good cause, Professor Roth said, “would be totally demoralizing for the professionals who work there — to everybody who has been trained in a culture of following the facts and the law, without regard to political influence or favor.”
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