Assistant U.S. Attorney Hagan Scotten has resigned amid controversy surrounding the corruption case involving New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
Scotten, a seasoned federal prosecutor, had been involved in the legal proceedings against Mayor Adams, who faces five federal charges.
Scotten’s departure marks the seventh resignation tied to efforts to dismiss charges against the mayor.
In his resignation letter, Scotten criticized the Justice Department’s leadership, accusing them of seeking someone who would compromise the integrity of the legal system.
He described the push to dismiss the charges against Mayor Adams as a “dismissal-with-leverage,” a move he believes undermines core principles of justice.
Mayor Adams, who has consistently denied any wrongdoing. Despite the resignations and tension within the Justice Department, no formal motion to dismiss the charges has been filed as of now.
Scotten, who has handled corruption cases and served as a clerk to Chief Justice John Roberts, adds credibility to concerns about the direction of the case. His resignation raises further questions about the motivations behind the push to dismiss the charges.
