Three federal prosecutors involved in the now-dismissed corruption case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams resigned Tuesday, deepening the crisis at the Department of Justice’s Southern District of New York (SDNY). In a sharply worded letter to Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Celia Cohen, Andrew Rohrbach, and Derek Wikstrom said they were being pressured to admit wrongdoing in exchange for reinstatement — a demand they refused.
“We will not confess wrongdoing when there was none,” the prosecutors wrote. “The new leadership has decided that obedience supersedes all else. That is wrong.”
The case against Mayor Adams, a Democrat, centered on allegations that he accepted illegal campaign donations and travel perks from individuals connected to the Turkish government, including a senior Turkish official. The benefits were reportedly offered in exchange for political favors during Adams’ tenure as Brooklyn borough president. Prosecutors had gathered evidence suggesting that foreign nationals were funneling money into Adams’ campaign through straw donors — a potential violation of campaign finance laws and foreign lobbying regulations.
The investigation had also touched on the Turkish consulate’s real estate dealings and the use of non-profit cultural organizations believed to be linked to the Turkish government to curry influence with local officials.
Despite a growing body of evidence, the Department of Justice ordered the case dismissed in February, shortly after Donald Trump was sworn in for a second term. According to multiple sources familiar with internal DOJ communications, the dismissal was not based on the merits of the case but was driven by political considerations. Officials reportedly viewed Adams as a useful partner in advancing the Trump administration’s immigration policy — particularly in high-profile sanctuary cities like New York.
Then-acting U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon refused to comply with the order and resigned in protest, warning that the move could severely damage the DOJ’s credibility. “Dismissing the case will amplify, rather than abate, concerns about weaponization of the Department,” she wrote at the time.
In April, Judge Dale E. Ho dismissed the charges with prejudice, barring them from being refiled. In his ruling, Ho emphasized that the prosecutors had acted in full accordance with legal guidelines. “There is no evidence — zero — that they had any improper motives,” he wrote.
The case and its abrupt dismissal have raised alarm bells among legal experts and ethics watchdogs, particularly due to its implications for U.S.-Turkey relations. Critics argue the decision reflects a broader pattern of political favoritism toward foreign governments aligned with the administration’s priorities.
Tuesday’s resignations came just hours before Jay Clayton, the former chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, was sworn in as interim U.S. Attorney for the Southern District. Clayton, nominated by President Trump to permanently lead the office, thanked both Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi in his statement.
The Department of Justice has not issued any formal comment on the latest resignations.
