As pressure mounted to dismiss corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams, career prosecutors in the Justice Department’s public integrity section found themselves at a crossroads: refuse and risk their jobs, or comply with a request they viewed as improper.
On Friday morning, roughly two dozen lawyers in the department’s corruption unit convened to discuss an order from a Trump-appointed official—one of them had to sign off on the motion to drop the case.
Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove III told the team that someone needed to put their name on the court filing, which sought to dismiss bribery and fraud charges against Adams. Those who had refused before them had already resigned. The unspoken threat was clear: refusal could mean termination.
By the afternoon, Ed Sullivan, a veteran prosecutor in the section, stepped up. According to three sources familiar with the situation, Sullivan agreed to sign the request in Manhattan federal court to shield his colleagues from being fired or resigning en masse.
A Filing with Political Undertones
The court document, submitted Friday evening, bore the names of Sullivan, a criminal division supervisor, and Bove himself.
The stated justification for the dismissal was striking. It acknowledged that political considerations—not legal merit—had played a role. The filing claimed the case’s continuation could create “appearances of impropriety” and pose “risks of interference with the 2025 elections in New York City.”
It was an extraordinary admission, suggesting that the decision was driven by factors beyond the facts of the case.
A Wave of Resignations
In the days leading up to the filing, resistance within the Justice Department was fierce. On Thursday, six prosecutors—including the acting U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York—resigned rather than follow Bove’s directive. On Friday, a seventh prosecutor stepped down, declaring in a resignation letter that only a “fool” or a “coward” would sign the motion.
But for those who remained, Sullivan’s decision was seen as an act of self-sacrifice.
“The reason for someone to sign it is to protect others,” said one person familiar with Friday’s internal discussions.
A High-Stakes Decision
Before the tense video call with Bove, prosecutors weighed their limited options. Many feared that refusing outright could lead to mass firings within the section, a move that could cripple the Justice Department’s ability to pursue public corruption cases in the future.
Bove, speaking via video, insisted that the filing needed to be signed within an hour, according to sources briefed on the conversation. Prosecutors were left with the impression that failure to comply could result in disciplinary action.
While federal judges have little discretion when it comes to motions to drop charges, some legal experts believe the judge overseeing the case may call a hearing to scrutinize the Justice Department’s reasoning. Such a proceeding could be an embarrassment for the department’s leadership.
For the attorneys involved, there was also another consideration—whether signing the document could put their professional ethics and bar licenses at risk. Major objections had already been raised about the legality and morality of dropping the case.
Despite the controversy, many Justice Department officials praised those who had resigned, calling their actions a principled stand against improper political influence. Others, like Sullivan, were credited for taking a difficult path to protect their colleagues.
With the case now in the hands of the judiciary, the fallout from the Justice Department’s decision is far from over.