Seven New York City prosecutors have resigned or been reassigned in a dispute over Mayor Eric Adams’ order to drop a criminal case against a homeless man.

In a surprising move, seven prosecutors have resigned after the Department of Justice (DOJ) issued an order to dismiss corruption and fraud charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams. CNN reported that one of the prosecutors, Hagen Scotten, was placed on administrative leave after refusing to endorse the decision.

Scotten, in a letter to acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove, denounced the DOJ’s actions, describing the dismissal as “dismissal-with-leverage.” He expressed concern over the use of prosecutorial power to influence elected officials, criticizing the reasoning behind the decision to drop the charges. Scotten claimed that the Justice Department’s justification—that Adams could focus on his work addressing illegal immigration and preparing for his 2025 reelection campaign—was unacceptable.

“No system of ordered liberty can allow the Government to use the carrot of dismissing charges or the stick of threatening to bring them again to induce an elected official to support its policy objectives,” Scotten wrote.

Adams had been indicted on corruption and fraud charges in September, marking the first time in modern history that a sitting New York City mayor faced such charges. The case had been brought by Damian Williams, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, but Williams resigned in November following the election of former President Donald Trump.

Bove’s recent announcement stated that the DOJ would review the charges once a new U.S. attorney is confirmed. The decision has sparked significant controversy and raised questions about the integrity of the legal process.