DOJ Lawyer Resigns, Alleging Political Interference in trump-Related Case
WASHINGTON – Ryan Crosswell, a veteran attorney with the Department of Justice’s Public Integrity Section, resigned from his position in February 2025 after being ordered to find a way to dismiss charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams, according to testimony delivered to the House Judiciary committee and confirmed by multiple news reports. Crosswell’s resignation is the latest in a series of departures from the DOJ following what multiple officials allege was a politically motivated effort to shield Adams from scrutiny as he assisted with the implementation of former President Donald Trump’s immigration policies.
Crosswell, who joined the Public Integrity Section in 2020 and previously prosecuted high-profile cases including the former governor of Puerto rico and a New Mexico election denier, recounted being “called in and told to find someone to dismiss the case” on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2025. This directive came after Emil Bove, a senior DOJ official, attempted to pressure multiple superiors to drop the charges against Adams, arguing that defending the case would detract from Adams’ ability to enforce Trump’s immigration policies.Bove admitted the decision was not based on the merits of the allegations.
The effort to quash the case began with Bove ordering Danielle Sassoon, the acting head of the Southern district of New york, to drop the charges.Sassoon refused and subsequently resigned.Bove then placed Sassoon’s deputies, Hagan Scotten and Derek Wikstrom, on administrative leave after they also refused to comply with the order; Scotten also resigned.
Bove subsequently transferred the case to “main justice” in Washington, D.C., and the Public Integrity Section, attempting to compel acting head John Keller to dismiss the charges. Keller, like his predecessors, refused and resigned, along with four other officials.
The unfolding events have prompted scrutiny of Bove’s actions. He has been accused by two whistleblowers of stating in a private meeting that he could ignore court orders related to Trump’s deportation plans, and by a third whistleblower of mischaracterizing his actions during the Adams affair. The Justice Department is currently investigating the allegations.
