April 23rd 2025.
According to a report from ABC News, three federal prosecutors who were involved in the corruption investigation of New York City Mayor Eric Adams have decided to resign while on administrative leave. They made this decision rather than complying with the U.S. Department of Justice's demand that they admit to some wrongdoing as a condition for their return. In a strongly-worded letter to Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, the prosecutors - Celia V. Cohen, Andrew Rohrbach, and Derek Wikstrom - accused him of pressuring them to falsely confess and express regret for their actions.
The trio had been placed on administrative leave in order to review their handling of the Adams case, but it has become clear to them that one of the conditions for their return is to admit to some wrongdoing on the part of the U.S. Attorney's Office in their refusal to dismiss the case. In their letter, they stated that they will not confess to something they did not do. These prosecutors were also part of a group that refused to sign off on the dismissal of Adams' bribery case back in February 2025, which led to their placement on leave and the subsequent investigation.
In their letter, the prosecutors emphasized that they have served under presidents of both parties and have always prioritized justice without any bias. They stated that the role of a career prosecutor is not to set policy, but rather to uphold the Constitution and the laws of the United States, as well as the rules of professional ethics. However, the Department has now prioritized obedience above all else, forcing them to disregard their legal and ethical obligations in favor of directions from Washington. This, according to the prosecutors, is unacceptable.
This recent shakeup adds to the ongoing conflict between the Southern District of New York and the nation's capital. In February 2025, then-acting U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon resigned after alleging that DOJ leadership, including acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove, were aware of a quid pro quo agreement to dismiss the Adams case in exchange for helping the administration. Jay Clayton, a former Securities and Exchange Commission chair, was then appointed by President Donald Trump to lead the Southern District of New York as the interim U.S. attorney. However, his confirmation process was blocked by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.
In April 2025, a federal judge granted the DOJ's request to dismiss Adams' indictment, but refused to dismiss the case entirely, leaving the option for prosecutors to revive it at a later date. The judge stated that dismissing the case would create the perception that Adams was under the control of the federal government. In addition to Sasson, Cohen, Rohrbach, and Wikstrom's resignations, five other DOJ officials also resigned in protest, and several top Department of Justice officials declined to participate in the dismissal of the case.
This turmoil in the DOJ has also had an impact on other high-profile cases, such as Suge Knight's retrial, as his lawyer has attempted to withdraw from the case due to the uncertainty surrounding the DOJ's leadership and decision-making.
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