Last week, Emil Bove, the acting deputy attorney general, moved swiftly to dismiss the corruption allegations against New York City Mayor Eric Adams. This action suggests a shift in the Justice Department’s approach, aligning more closely with Donald Trump’s political objectives in prosecutorial decisions.

The department officially requested the case’s dismissal on Friday, with signatures from Bove along with two trial attorneys—Edward Sullivan, senior litigation counsel from the public integrity section, and Antoinette Bacon, acting chief of the criminal division—solidifying this decision.

Although US District Judge Dale Ho has scheduled a hearing to review the circumstances surrounding the charges’ withdrawal, including the resignation of the acting US attorney in Manhattan, it is generally believed that the case is effectively concluded.

Bove’s directive to dismiss the case highlights his new direction as the Justice Department’s second-in-command, enforcing a vision aligned with Trump’s unitary executive theory that places presidential directives at the forefront for all agencies.

In his order dismissing the case, Bove emphasized that “continuing these proceedings would obstruct the defendant’s ability to govern in New York City, creating untenable risks to public safety, national security, and related federal immigration initiatives.”

The memo indicated that supporting a mayor who aims to strengthen immigration enforcement—a national priority—outweighed pursuing bribery charges against a local official. The Justice Department is set to weigh policy priorities more heavily in future cases against legal merits.

Bove’s push for this dismissal also demonstrated his resolve to streamline the Justice Department after experiencing significant resignations from seven prosecutors, which many perceived as acts of insubordination.

Danielle Sassoon, the acting US attorney for the Southern District of New York, had attempted to delay the dismissal of the Adams case, likely jeopardizing the department’s chain of command, where US Attorneys ultimately report to the central Justice Department in Washington.

Bove’s decisive management of the department’s daily operations, prior to the Senate confirmation of Trump’s deputy attorney general nominee Todd Blanche, has garnered personal backing from Trump, as noted by a senior official.

Despite the protests from resigning officials, Trump appeared unfazed, and the White House has been discreetly satisfied, as this provides an opportunity to appoint loyalists to key positions in the Justice Department without facing lengthy dismissal processes.

The Justice Department did not respond to requests for comment.

Bove, typically soft-spoken, previously served as co-chief of the national security and international narcotics section at the Manhattan US attorney’s office. Reports suggest he was aware of Sassoon’s commitment to pursuing the case she initiated.

Bove himself has faced similar situations involving case dismissals; he previously had to withdraw charges against Iranian banker Ali Sadr Hashemi Nejad after defense attorneys claimed his team had not disclosed exculpatory evidence, although no misconduct was attributed to Bove.

Before Bove made the formal dismissal request, Sassoon was informed during a phone call that Trump’s political appointees would review the case after their Senate confirmation, leading her to consider dropping the charges “without prejudice” for a potential future revival.

However, after Bove issued his instructions on Monday, Sassoon did not take any action. With no response by Tuesday, Bove and Chad Mizelle, the Justice Department’s chief of staff, called Sassoon, instructing her to file the dismissal motion by the close of business that day.

When Bove realized that Sassoon was not complying after no actions were taken on Wednesday, he ceased communication with her. Ultimately, Sassoon’s response consisted of a critical eight-page letter addressed to Attorney General Pam Bondi, urging continuance of the Adams case.

Following this, events unfolded rapidly: Bove acknowledged Sassoon’s resignation and suspended her deputies for insubordination before reallocating control of the case to the Justice Department’s public integrity section in Washington.

After the acting head of the criminal division, Kevin Driscoll, along with John Keller, acting chief of the public integrity section, and three deputies resigned, Sassoon’s deputy Hagan Scotten also stepped down, criticizing the “without prejudice” dismissal as a threat hanging over Adams. In response, Bove moved to the next procedural step.

On Friday morning, Bove convened a video call with approximately 20 prosecutors from the public integrity section at 9:45 AM. He acknowledged the challenging week and expressed a desire for everyone to move forward, according to two participants in the call.

He emphasized that he did not wish to assign blame and requested transparency only concerning who would be willing to sign the dismissal motion for procedural compliance. Within the hour, senior litigation counsel Edward Sullivan volunteered to alleviate the pressure on his team, while Bove also added his name to the motion, prepared to advocate in court if needed, according to sources informed about the situation.