🏛️Justice Department drops cases against Fortenberry, Ogles, and Eric Adams
Constitutional Law
Justice
DOJ under Bondi dropped investigations against Rep. Jeff Fortenberry and Rep. Andy Ogles, dismissed NYC Mayor Eric Adams corruption case, and withdrew from other Trump ally prosecutions while career prosecutors report pressure to apply different legal standards based on defendants' political connections to the president.
Review Topic
Test your knowledge with interactive questions
10 questions
5:00
35 available
Key Takeaways
Influential Figures
No influential figures found.
Some topics may not have prominent individuals directly associated.
Why This Matters
⚖️ Justice Department intervenes in criminal cases to protect Trump political allies
DOJ career attorneys report pressure to reduce sentences, dismiss charges, and delay prosecutions against Trump associates while accelerating cases against opponents. Watergate Special Prosecutor Leon Jaworski faced similar pressure from Nixon but maintained independence through congressional protection that no longer exists.
🏛️ Equal justice under law disappears when politics determines prosecution decisions
Federal prosecutors must apply different legal standards based on defendants' political connections rather than evidence and legal merit. Historical precedent from Boss Tweed's Tammany Hall (1860s-1870s) shows how political control of justice enables systematic corruption and eliminates accountability for powerful criminals.
📊 Public trust in legal system collapses when citizens observe selective enforcement
Americans across party lines expect equal treatment under law regardless of political affiliation, but DOJ intervention creates obvious double standards. Teapot Dome scandal (1921-1923) destroyed public faith in government when officials faced different legal standards, requiring decades to restore institutional credibility.
💰 Political connections become more valuable than legal compliance for avoiding prosecution
When federal prosecutors serve partisan interests rather than legal evidence, criminal behavior becomes acceptable for politically connected individuals. Pendleton Act (1883) created merit-based civil service to prevent political corruption, but DOJ politicization eliminates professional standards that protect equal justice.
What Others Are Asking
No Questions Yet
Be the first to ask
Detailed Content
1
What quid pro quo did critics allege between Adams and the Trump administration regarding the case dismissal?
Multiple Choice
Ethics in Government
3
4
What distinguishes career prosecutors from political appointees in the Justice Department?
Multiple Choice
Ethics in Government
5
6
7
What is the principle of prosecutorial independence, and why did the Adams case resignations invoke it?
Multiple Choice
Ethics in Government
8
What other anti-corruption measure did Trump's administration target simultaneously with dropping DOJ cases?
Multiple Choice
Ethics in Government
9
How did Judge Dale Ho ultimately dismiss the Adams case, and why?
Multiple Choice
Justice
11
What ethical concern did Sassoon raise about Todd Blanche's involvement in the Adams case dismissal?
Multiple Choice
Ethics in Government
12
How do the Adams case resignations compare to Watergate's "Saturday Night Massacre"?
Multiple Choice
Historical Precedent
13
How many prosecutors resigned rather than follow orders to dismiss the Adams case?
Multiple Choice
Justice
14
What long-term threat to rule of law do legal experts identify in the Adams case dismissal and prosecutor resignations?
Multiple Choice
Constitutional Law
15
What did Mayor Adams do after Judge Ho dismissed his case that critics called inappropriate?
Multiple Choice
Media Literacy
16
What crimes was NYC Mayor Eric Adams charged with in his September 2024 indictment?
Multiple Choice
Justice
17
How much time did DOJ leadership give Sassoon to brief them on the years-long Adams investigation before ordering dismissal?
Multiple Choice
Ethics in Government
18
Which former congressman's case did the DOJ drop under Bondi?
Multiple Choice
Justice
19
What did Attorney General Bondi promise at her confirmation hearing?
Multiple Choice
Constitutional Law
20
Which Republican congressman's investigation was the DOJ withdrawn from?
Multiple Choice
Government
21
What did Bondi create on her first day to examine "weaponization"?
Multiple Choice
Constitutional Law
22
What did Harvard law professor Jack Goldsmith call Bondi's approach?
Multiple Choice
Justice
23
How many memos did Bondi sign on her first day?
Multiple Choice
Constitutional Law
24
Who did Bondi launch a task force to examine first?
Multiple Choice
Government
25
What Supreme Court Justice administered Bondi's oath of office?
Multiple Choice
Constitutional Law
26
What did lead prosecutor Hagan Scotten call anyone who would toss the Adams case?
Multiple Choice
Justice
27
How many senior FBI leaders were ordered to retire, resign, or be fired?
Multiple Choice
Government
31
The DOJ moved to dismiss the case against New York Mayor Eric Adams.
True/False
Government
33
Bondi curbed enforcement of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA).
True/False
Government
34
The DOJ disbanded the FBI's foreign influence task force.
True/False
Justice