Principled resignations used to be rare in American politics. We’re experiencing a wave of them in 2025.
Seven principled SDNY prosecutors refused to drop charges against NYC Mayor Eric Adams. Why? Because of the bizarre terms laid out by President Pennywise’s former personal lawyer and current DOJ hatchet man, Emil Bove. Did I just call him a lawyer? He’s really a shyster of the worst kind.
Bove admitted that the move had nothing to with the strength of evidence or anything else permissible. The deal with Adams involves his cooperation with Team MAGA on immigration. In a word: Impermissible.
My main man Andrew Weissmann has described the deal as securing a choke collar around the Mayor’s neck as the charges were dismissed without prejudice. That means they can be refiled if Adams is a bad boy and complies with New York state law, not the Trump regime’s wishes.
The legacy media is calling this leverage. I call it extortion. Here’s an edited version of the Black’s Law Dictionary definition:
“Extortion. The obtaining of property from another induced by wrongful use of actual or threatened force, violence, or fear, or under color of official right. 18 U.S.C.A. §871 et seq.; §1951.
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Term applies to persons who exact money either for the performance of a duty, the prevention of injury, or the exercise of influence, and covers the obtaining of money or other property by operating on fear or credulity, or by promise to conceal the crimes of others. Term in comprehensive or general sense signifies any oppression under color of right, and in strict or technical sense signifies unlawful taking by any officer, under color of office, of any money or thing of value not due him, more than is due, or before it is due.
See also Blackmail; Hobbs Act; Loan sharking; Shakedown.”
That’s extortion. So is what’s happening with Eric Adams.
I hold no brief for Eric Adams. From what I know, he’s a corrupt piece of shit who belongs out of office and behind bars. I’m unfamiliar with the details of the case but those who are think it’s rock solid with strong evidence and witnesses. This is not a case that should be dropped.
The MAGA maggots are screaming bloody murder about the lawyers who resigned. They’re calling them the usual names they use to attack liberals. As always, they’re wrong. Former acting US Attorney Danielle Sassoon is a Federalist Society member who clerked for Antonin Scalia. Another departing prosecutor clerked for Chief Justice John Roberts. These lawyers are not liberals, they have something few Trumpers have or even understand, ETHICS.
The other day, Josh Marshall declared that after the deal, Donald Trump is now the Mayor of New York. He has Eric Adams’ balls in a vise. If he doesn’t follow orders from so-called Border Tsar Tom Homan, the charges will be refiled. The wise guys that the Insult Comedian admires so much would call this a squeeze play. I call it extortion, blackmail, and a shakedown. The corruption, it burns.
I hope some enterprising attorney in the Empire State files ethics charges against Emil Bove. This deal is blatantly unethical. As a former SDNY prosecutor, Bove should know better, but he sold his soul to the Kaiser of Chaos. He never issues refunds.
There’s some good news on the New York front. The Adams administration is experiencing its own wave of principled resignations and Gov. Kathy Hochul is considering removing Adams from office before he does even more damage.
The legal side of this story is still evolving. Dale Ho the federal judge on the Adams case has yet to chime in. There’s a decent chance he’ll nix the deal as being too Nixonian. Of course, Tricky Dick was a piker compared to Dirty Donald, but we can hope that the Biden appointed Ho will NOT be a ho for Team MAGA.
Stay tuned.
The last word goes to 10cc:
Good Lord! Homan committed the crime on camera while sitting next to Adams on the curvy couch at Faux & Friends! He told Adams “if you don’t live up to our agreement I’ll come back to New York and get up your butt about why you didn’t do what we said!” The prosecution rests, Your Honor!!
Simply put, Eric Adams has passed the decision on whether he remains in office and can discharge his duties fairly and lawfully to someone else. That someone else is the governor. Hochul has made the requisite statement that removing a duly-elected office-holder is a serious undertaking, and so it is. But this is one of those cases where the incumbent is so corrupt, so compromised, he can’t be trusted with his office. Adams has to remain in residence at Gracie Mansion or he goes to prison. He knows that, and the felon’s handlers know that. Adams doesn’t dare do the right thing or suddenly develop a moral compass.
It’s up to Hochul, plain and simple. Does she govern for the benefit of all New Yorkers or does she cower behind high-sounding ideals that are horribly misplaced in this situation?
I couldn’t have said it better myself. The ball is in the Governor’s court.