Rep. Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.) slammed the Department of Justice (DOJ) for dismissing the criminal case against New York Mayor Eric Adams, saying it’s “outright extortion.”
Goldman joined MSNBC’s “Inside with Jen Psaki” on Sunday, where he weighed in on the mayor’s legal developments.
“It is an outright extortion,” he said. “This is way, way, way outside the bounds of the Department of Justice.”
The DOJ formally asked a federal district court to drop the corruption charges against Adams after federal prosecutors in Manhattan resigned instead of dismissing the case.
Attorney General Pam Bondi said on Friday that the charges against the mayor, brought last September, were going to be dismissed.
Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove said the criminal proceedings interfere with Adams’ ability to govern New York City and that would pose “unacceptable threats” to safety and security.
The Hill’s Headlines – February 16, 2025
Even though Goldman criticized Adams’ charges being dismissed, he wasn’t very supportive for New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) to remove him from his leadership position.
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“I hope we don’t get there,” he said. “I expect that there will be a resolution among the leaders of our political establishment in New York that hopefully would avoid something like that.”
As the Trump administration settles into its new roles, there’s concern that Bondi would succumb to pressure from President Trump and use the department to prosecute his political enemies. Goldman expressed concern over the state of the DOJ.
“The politicization of the Department of Justice in a really bad and dangerous way … has to stop, and somebody needs to put a stop to it,” he said.
