A federal prosecutor involved in the high-profile corruption case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams has resigned, becoming the seventh legal professional to step down in the wake of the controversial handling of the case. The prosecutor, Hagan Scotten, did not go quietly. In a sharply worded resignation letter, he criticized senior officials at the Department of Justice (DOJ), accusing them of seeking a scapegoat to justify dismissing the charges against Adams.
Scotten, a line prosecutor on the case, had been placed on administrative leave a day before his resignation after refusing to endorse the DOJ's move to drop the charges against Adams. His letter, addressed to Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove, expressed deep frustration with what he described as a strategy of "dismissal-with-leverage"—a move that he argued was legally and ethically unsound.
"Any assistant U.S. attorney with integrity knows that our legal system does not permit prosecutors to wield their authority to sway individuals, particularly elected officials, in this manner," Scotten wrote. His words directly targeted Bove, who previously served as a personal attorney for former President Donald Trump.
"If no one within the President’s circle is willing to tell him the truth about the law, I suspect you will eventually find someone willing to be your pawn in this charade," Scotten added. "But that person will not be me."
Scotten is no newcomer to high-stakes cases. A Harvard Law School graduate and a decorated Iraq War veteran, he has been a key figure in prosecuting corruption cases in New York. His legal résumé includes cases against close allies of former Mayor Rudy Giuliani, as well as Bishop Lamor Whitehead—a known associate of Adams—who was recently convicted on multiple counts of fraud. Scotten also previously clerked for U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts.
His resignation follows a wave of departures linked to the Adams case, underscoring growing internal discord within the DOJ over how the case has been handled.
The Justice Department has sought to justify dropping the charges against Adams by citing the need for the mayor to focus on pressing issues, particularly illegal immigration and his 2025 re-election campaign. Scotten, however, strongly rejected this reasoning.
"No democratic system can function if the government uses the promise of dismissing charges—or the threat of re-filing them—as a bargaining chip to push political agendas," he wrote.
Adams is currently facing five federal charges, though he has maintained his innocence, pleading not guilty. Despite growing speculation, the DOJ has yet to formally submit a motion to drop the charges. The unfolding situation has drawn national attention, raising concerns about both legal ethics and political influence within the Justice Department.
As the controversy continues, Scotten’s resignation and bold accusations have intensified scrutiny of the case, setting the stage for further legal and political ramifications.