Hagan Scotten, Assistant U.S. Attorney, Resigns from Case Against Eric Adams
Assistant U.S. Attorney Quits Over Dismissal of Case Against New York Mayor
One of two assistant U.S. attorneys working on the Eric Adams corruption case has resigned from his position in a tersely worded letter to the Department of Justice, according to an email shared with NBC New York.
Resignation Letter
Hagan Scotten, an assistant U.S. attorney with the Southern District of New York, resigned Friday morning in a note to Deputy Acting Attorney General Emil Bove. Scotten’s decision to resign comes a day after Acting U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon, Scotten’s boss, also left her post following orders by Bove to dismiss the case against the New York mayor.
Reason for Resignation
In Scotten’s email, he said he was never asked by Sassoon to dismiss the Adams case “and I therefore never had an opportunity to refuse. But I am entirely in agreement with her decision not to do so…”
Bove’s Decision
Bove, in a letter to Sassoon on Thursday, said he was placing Scotten and another AUSA on leave.
“You indicated that the prosecution team is aware of your communications with the Justice Department, is supportive of your approach, and is unwilling to comply with the order to dismiss the case. Accordingly, the AUSAs principally responsible for this case are being placed on off-duty, administrative leave pending investigations by the Office of the Attorney General and the Office of Professional Responsibility, both of which will also evaluate your conduct,” Bove said.
Case Background
The DOJ order to dismiss the corruption case against the mayor had come from Bove, the current number-two official at the Justice Department under newly confirmed Attorney General Pam Bondi. Bove’s memo said federal prosecutors needed to drop the case, in part, because it impacted Adams’ ability to tackle “illegal immigration and violent crime.”
Case Status
The case, according to the docket, had not been dropped as of Thursday.
Background on the Case
In a separate letter Sassoon sent to Bondi, Sassoon said Adams’ attorneys in a meeting with the DOJ in January essentially proposed a “quid pro quo.”
“I attended a meeting on January 31, 2025, with Mr. Bove, Adams’ counsel, and members of my office. Adams’s attorneys repeatedly urged what amounted to a quid pro quo, indicating that Adams would be in a position to assist with the Department’s enforcement priorities only if the indictment were dismissed. Mr. Bove admonished a member of my team who took notes during that meeting and directed the collection of those notes at the meeting’s conclusion,” Sassoon said.
Adams’ Response
Adams’ attorney, Alex Spiro, denied Sassoon’s recounting of the meeting and her allegation of a “quid pro quo” proposal.
“The idea that there was a quid pro quo is a total lie. We offered nothing and the department asked nothing of us,” Spiro said in a statement to NBC New York. “I don’t know what ‘amounted to’ means. We were asked if the case had any bearing on national security and immigration enforcement and we truthfully answered it did.”
Conclusion
The resignation of Hagan Scotten and Acting U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon marks a significant development in the case against New York Mayor Eric Adams. The controversy surrounding the case has led to a series of resignations within the Department of Justice, including five high-ranking officials.
FAQs
* Why did Hagan Scotten resign from the case?
Hagan Scotten resigned from the case due to his disagreement with the decision to dismiss the case against Eric Adams.
* Why was the case against Eric Adams dismissed?
The case against Eric Adams was dismissed due to concerns that it impacted his ability to tackle “illegal immigration and violent crime.”
* Who is Hagan Scotten?
Hagan Scotten is an assistant U.S. attorney with the Southern District of New York, who was working on the Eric Adams corruption case.
* What is the current status of the case?
The case against Eric Adams has not been dropped as of Thursday.
