Key Highlights:

• The Justice Department has asked a court to dismiss the corruption charges against NYC Mayor Eric Adams.
• This move has triggered resignations from several federal prosecutors, including the acting U.S. attorney for Manhattan.
• Allegations of political interference and a "quid pro quo" related to immigration enforcement have emerged.

NEW YORK (AP) — In a significant turn of events, the Justice Department formally filed a motion on Friday to dismiss the corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams, a development that has sparked an upheaval within federal prosecutor ranks in Manhattan.

The motion, signed by Acting Deputy U.S. Attorney General Emil Bove and several attorneys from the department’s public integrity section, has been described as necessitated by the unique circumstances surrounding this case. This comes on the heels of a notable internal conflict within the Justice Department, characterized by a mounting number of high-profile resignations among prosecutors unwilling to comply with the directive.

At least seven prosecutors from both New York and Washington have resigned in protest, including the interim U.S. attorney in Manhattan, Danielle Sassoon, who opted to leave her post rather than proceed with the dismissal of charges she deemed legally unfounded. In her resignation letter, Sassoon accused the mayor's legal team of pushing for what she termed a "quid pro quo" arrangement, suggesting that Adams would assist the Trump administration with immigration policy in exchange for the dismissal of the charges. Adams and his lawyer have categorically denied these allegations.

Since the charges first emerged, the case has seen fluctuations in political alignment, particularly with Adams’s efforts to align himself with Donald Trump's administration. Critics have raised concerns that such a relationship could compromise the integrity of Adams’s governance in light of ongoing allegations.

Hagan Scotten, a veteran prosecutor involved in the case, echoed Sassoon’s sentiments in his resignation letter, stating, “No system of ordered liberty can allow the Government to use the carrot of dismissing charges, or the stick of threatening to bring them again, to induce an elected official to support its policy objectives.” This statement has highlighted the deepening rift between the leadership at the Justice Department and its local counterparts.

The DOJ's motion to drop the charges is set to be evaluated by Judge Dale Ho, who will determine whether to accept the request made by the department. In the meantime, the implications of these developments continue to sweep across the political landscape in New York as Adams faces renewed scrutiny and calls for accountability.

This turmoil signals a shift not only for Adams but potentially for the broader landscape of political accountability as the fallout from this case unfolds.