Justice Department Turmoil: A Modern-Day 'Saturday Night Massacre'

A federal prosecutor agreed to file a motion to dismiss corruption charges against NYC Mayor Eric Adams. This decision sparked mass resignations of Justice Department officials resisting political pressures from the Trump administration. Comparisons are being drawn to the 'Saturday Night Massacre' during Nixon's presidency.

In a controversial move, a U.S. federal prosecutor has agreed to file a motion to dismiss corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams. This decision was intended to prevent job losses among career public integrity prosecutors but has triggered significant backlash within the Justice Department.

Veteran prosecutor Ed Sullivan volunteered to file the motion to relieve his colleagues, though the decision is viewed by some as coercion rather than capitulation. Sullivan emerged as a figure of resistance amid growing tensions between career officials and political appointees.

The resignations of six senior Justice Department officials, including Manhattan's top federal prosecutor, have highlighted a deepening dissent against what some describe as the agency's politicization under President Trump's influence. This echoes historical precedents of Justice Department defiance in maintaining its prosecutorial independence.

(With inputs from agencies.)