Adams’s lawyer argued that the leaked letter hurt the Democratic mayor’s chances of getting a fair trial should the charges remain in place.

Former acting U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon resigned after DOJ leadership ordered prosecutors to drop the case against Adams. In a resignation letter leaked to the press, she claimed that the Democratic mayor agreed to support federal deportation efforts in exchange for the charges being dismissed. Adams and the DOJ deny such an arrangement.

“The disclosure of this letter to the press was part of an extraordinary flurry of leaked internal Justice Department correspondence that included memoranda from the Acting Deputy Attorney General to the Southern District and an unhinged resignation letter by one of the former line prosecutors on this case,” Adams’s defense attorney, Alex Spiro, wrote in a 20-page memorandum.

“Notwithstanding there was no quid pro quo, news outlets across the country zeroed in on that inflammatory rhetoric, and the February 12 letter has dominated front-page news ever since,” the memorandum continues.

The leak has sparked controversy, with at least seven federal prosecutors resigning in protest.

Adams’s legal counsel argued that the leak has caused “extreme prejudice,” affecting both his fair trial rights and his ability to govern after Sassoon accused the recently installed Trump DOJ’s leadership of striking an agreement to drop Adams’s criminal case. She also made a striking claim that acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove scolded a prosecutor for taking notes during a meeting and had the notes confiscated.

Following her letter and the DOJ’s notice of intent to drop Adams’s case, four deputy mayors resigned over concerns that Adams is now aligned with President Donald Trump’s efforts to work with federal immigration enforcement to solve the migration crisis plaguing the Big Apple. Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY) has since announced new “guardrails” on the mayor’s office amid calls for his removal.

Federal prosecutors are seeking to dismiss the case without prejudice, leaving open the possibility of future charges. However, Adams is pushing for a dismissal with prejudice, citing the damage done to his reputation and governance.

JUDGE INVITES OUTSIDE ARGUMENT IN ERIC ADAMS CASE INSTEAD OF DROPPING CHARGES

The case remains active despite DOJ efforts to drop it. District Judge Dale Ho, an appointee of former President Joe Biden, has appointed a private attorney to challenge the government’s dismissal bid, with oral arguments expected in mid-March.

Adams, a first-term Democrat and former New York City Police Department captain, was indicted in September 2024 on charges of accepting luxury perks and illegal campaign contributions from Turkish nationals in exchange for political influence. He is also accused of defrauding a city campaign finance program, which has barred him from participation in his reelection bid.