Rep. Daniel Goldman (D-N.Y.) strongly criticized the Justice Department's dismissal of the criminal bribery case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams, labeling it as 'outright extortion' and expressing serious concerns about the 'politicization' of the federal government's legal arm.
The Controversial Dismissal
Goldman's remarks came during an interview on MSNBC's 'Inside with Jen Psaki,' where he stated, 'It is an outright extortion... This is way, way, way outside the bounds of the Department of Justice.'
He went on to compare the situation to the infamous 'Saturday Night Massacre' during the Watergate scandal, highlighting the gravity of the event.
The decision to drop the charges against Adams was made by acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove, who claimed that the case could negatively impact the mayor's reelection campaign and hinder his cooperation with President Donald Trump's immigration policies.
Reactions and Fallout
Following the dismissal, Adams announced plans to allow ICE agents to operate on Rikers Island, a move that contradicted the city's 'sanctuary city' policies and drew criticism from prominent New York Democrats.
Despite his disapproval of the dismissal, Goldman stopped short of calling for Adams' removal from office, hoping for a resolution among New York's political leaders to address the situation.
A Troubling Trend
Goldman raised concerns about the politicization of the Justice Department, emphasizing the need to put an end to such practices before they escalate further.
'The politicization of the Department of Justice in a really bad and dangerous way, and it has to stop, and somebody needs to put a stop to it,' he warned.