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Feb 17, 2025 Denise Cheung resigned from DOJ after refusing a directive to launch a criminal probe and asset freeze targeting a Biden-era government contract Tier 1 · Primary Institutions and Governance
A senior DOJ official's resignation over an allegedly unethical order highlights internal resistance to using prosecutorial tools for political ends.
Supporting reportingSurfacings — do not carry alone
Supporting reports
- Denise Cheung resigns from DOJ — Denise Cheung, the Criminal Division Chief for the US Attorneys Office in DC, resigned after refusing to execute a directive from a Trump appointee. The directive involved launching a criminal probe and pursuing an asset freeze on a government contract from the Biden Administration, which Cheung deemed unethical and without legal basis. Her resignation highlights internal conflicts within the DOJ regarding adherence to legal and ethical standards under political pressure.
Verified: Tier 1 primary record
Week 5 – 2025-02-15–2025-02-21
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Feb 15, 2025 Danielle Sassoon, Hagan Scotten, and Denise Cheung resigned from Justice Department posts in protest of orders to drop the corruption case against Mayor Eric Adams Tier 1 · Primary Institutions and Governance
Multiple senior prosecutors resigned rather than comply with directives they called politically motivated, exposing internal breakdown of prosecutorial independence.
Primary sourceA record that carries the claim alone
Supporting reportingSurfacings — do not carry alone
Supporting reports
- Resignation of Assistant U.S. Attorney over Dismissal Justification — Hagan Scotten, the acting assistant U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, resigned in a letter criticizing the justification for dropping charges against Mayor Adams as "transparently pretextual." He emphasized that using prosecutorial power to influence elected officials is contrary to legal traditions.
- Resignation of U.S. Attorney over Corruption Charges — Danielle Sassoon, the acting U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, resigned in protest against the Trump administration's order to drop federal corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams. This decision was made in exchange for Adams' cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Sassoon's resignation sparked a crisis within the Department of Justice, leading to multiple resignations from other attorneys who opposed the dismissal of the charges.
- Denise Cheung resigns from DOJ — Denise Cheung, the Criminal Division Chief for the US Attorneys Office in DC, resigned after refusing to execute a directive from a Trump appointee. The directive involved launching a criminal probe and pursuing an asset freeze on a government contract from the Biden Administration, which Cheung deemed unethical and without legal basis. Her resignation highlights internal conflicts within the DOJ regarding adherence to legal and ethical standards under political pressure.
Attacks
Verified: Tier 1 primary record
Week 5 – 2025-02-15–2025-02-21
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Feb 15, 2025 Emil Bove III and DOJ leadership attempted to bypass local prosecutors and threatened to fire Public Integrity Section lawyers who would not dismiss the Adams case Tier 1 · Primary Institutions and Governance
Coercing career attorneys to abandon a corruption prosecution reflects an effort to subordinate legal judgment to political directives.
Primary sourceA record that carries the claim alone
Supporting reports
- Resignation of Deputy Attorney General over Corruption Case — Emil Bove III, the acting deputy attorney general of the Department of Justice, attempted to bypass the Southern District of New York by taking the case against Mayor Eric Adams to the Public Integrity Section in Washington, D.C. His actions led to the resignation of at least five lawyers from that section, who opposed the dismissal of the charges against Adams.
- Threats to Dismiss Public Integrity Section Lawyers — Reports emerged that DOJ leadership threatened to fire all lawyers in the Public Integrity Section if they did not agree to dismiss the charges against Mayor Adams. This created a tense environment where lawyers felt pressured to act against their professional ethics.
Attacks
Verified: Tier 1 primary record
Week 5 – 2025-02-15–2025-02-21
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