A former federal prosecutor was floored Friday night by the "scandal" unfolding in the Justice Department — and said President Donald Trump easily could've avoided what he called a "complete train wreck."
Acting deputy attorney general Emil Bove clashed this week with prosecutors at the U.S. Attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York, with several defying his order to drop criminal corruption charges without prejudice against New York Mayor Eric Adams.
At least seven prosecutors resigned rather than carry out the order. The dispute came to a head when acting U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon sent a memo to newly minted Attorney General Pam Bondi asking to meet about the case, as she vehemently opposed the order — likening it to a quid pro quo — and threatened to resign if the meeting didn't happen.
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In response, Bove sent a blistering letter castigating her over her refusal, leading experts to declare the dust-up a "cascading scandal" and likening it to a "Thursday afternoon massacre."
Elie Honig, a former prosecutor who served in the Southern District, joined CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins on Friday night, and remarked the prosecutors all "came up together at the SDNY."
"This has been a complete train wreck," he said. "The way that Emil Bove and DOJ have handled this, I would be furious if I was his boss. There would've been so many better ways to do this, causing so much less dissension."
Bove, said Honig, could've taken time to examine the case and concluded the evidence was simply "too thin" to support the charges. He also could've asserted the "legal theory doesn't apply," and therefore warranted dismissal.
While the decision would've sparked debate in legal circles, "it would not have been this all-encompassing scandal."
"Of course, Donald Trump could've just issued a pardon. We would've criticized that pardon, but it also would've saved DOJ a heck of a lot of damage,' he said.
Fellow attorney Renato Stabile chimed in, "That would've been the easiest thing."
Stabile expects the judge in the case — who still has to sign off on the request for dismissal — will be watching the exchange of letters closely, and will likely ask some "pointed" questions of the prosecutors.
Watch the clip below or at this link.
