Jonathan Dienst with an update from the News 4 newsroom.
Hundreds of lawyers and former prosecutors have signed a letter of support for federal prosecutors who resigned amid concern that political alliances or priorities were taken into account when making prosecution decisions.
In the letter, obtained by NBC New York, the signees address federal prosecutors, saying that each of them devoted years "to pursuing justice on behalf of the American people" regardless of who the president in power is.
"The oath we swore was to the Constitution -- not to the President, Attorney General, or any other individual," the letter reads in part. "Our obligations didn't stop at the oath we took to support and defend the Constitution. They included upholding a set of values that have guided the United States Department of Justice for decades."
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WATCH HEREAlthough the letter does not mention New York City Mayor Eric Adams by name, the open letter was published mere days after the Department of Justice moved to dismiss the federal corruption and bribery charges against Adams, following the initial news of a number of high-ranking officials and prosecutors resigning allegedly because they refused to drop the case.
Former acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Danielle Sassoon, quit last week after she received similar orders from Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove to dismiss the case against the mayor.
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SIGN UP Wednesday's open letter stresses that as prosecutors, they are barred from "making criminal charging decisions based on someone's political association, activities or beliefs, or because of our personal feelings about them" and they know it is not allowed to treat someone more leniently simply due to their power or connections.
"We were taught to pursue justice without fear or favor, and knew our decisions to investigate and charge should be based only on the facts and the law," the letter continues. "We knew these values were more than just requirements in a manual -- they were foundational to a fair and just legal system. And we upheld then no matter who was President."
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The letter said that they have "watched with alarm" as the long-held values are being tested by the recent actions of the DOJ's leadership.
In a tersely worded letter to the DOJ last week, an assistant U.S. attorney with the SDNY who worked on the Adams case also resigned from his position less than a day after Sassoon, according to an email shared with NBC New York.
In all, five other high-ranking Justice Department officials resigned Thursday in addition to Sassoon, a stunning escalation in a dayslong standoff over accusations the Trump administration is prioritizing political aims over criminal culpability.
Adams had pleaded not guilty to the charges and has denied any wrongdoing, saying the case was politically motivated. A number of New York Democrats have started calling for the mayor to step down or be removed by Gov. Kathy Hochul, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, State Sen. Michael Gianaris, NYC Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, and Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado.
Hochul has indicated she is awaiting the outcome of a Wednesday hearing before determining next steps.
The Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
