New York City Mayor Eric Adams appeared before the House Oversight and Reform Committee on Wednesday, where he refused to answer questions by committee members.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) informed Adams that the only acceptable thing a witness can do to not answer a question is declare his Fifth Amendment rights against self incrimination.
At issue was a question she asked regarding whether he knew "former acting U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon was present during a Jan. 31st meeting between Adams' lawyers and federal prosecutors"
Adams was indicted for bribery, fraud, and soliciting illegal foreign campaign donations. Sassoon, who led the Southern District of New York, wrote in her resignation letter that the Justice Department demanded she cease the case against Adams.
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They had reportedly been in talks for weeks to dismiss the case. Adams paid personal visits to Trump's private residence in his Mar-a-Lago country club in South Florida.
When senior Justice Department official Emil Bove ordered Manhattan federal prosecutors to dismiss the case, he argued that it had "improperly interfered" with Adams' re-election campaign. He also noted that Adams has been more cooperative on Trump's plans for mass immigration raids than any other New York City politician would be expected to — but denied in the footnotes of the order that there was an explicit quid pro quo.
Adams complained that Ocasio-Cortez was repeatedly asking the same question.
"No, these are very different questions," Ocasio-Cortez said.
He continued complaining as she talked over him.
"I understand. Mayor Adams, will you not answer this question because you believe you will incriminate yourself?" she asked.
Adams continued rambling as the congresswoman asked to submit the resignation letter from Sassoon for the record.
Ocasio-Cortez then read parts of the letter referencing the Jan. 31st meeting. She then cited other resignation letters from Justice Department employees who also refused to kill the Adams indictment.
She went on to lecture Republicans for downplaying the importance of the resignations.
See the clip below or at the link here.
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