Turmoil at the DOJ after prosecutors quit in protest

Summary

Apple News Today: Turmoil at the DOJ after Prosecutors Quit in Protest
Release Date: February 17, 2025

Introduction
In this episode of Apple News Today, host Shemitah Basu delves into a tumultuous period at the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) sparked by a series of high-profile resignations. The episode also touches on critical public health issues and significant events affecting various states, providing listeners with a comprehensive overview of the day's most pressing news.

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1. Measles Outbreak in Texas

The episode opens with alarming news from Texas, where a measles outbreak is rapidly spreading, marking the worst occurrence of this highly contagious disease in three decades.

• Extent of the Outbreak:
  "State health authorities report at least 48 confirmed cases, but say as many as 300 people might be infected." [00:05]

• Geographical Focus:

  • Gaines County: The majority of cases are concentrated in Gaines County, bordering New Mexico, particularly within the Mennonite community.
    "Nearly 18% of all kindergarteners were exempt from the measles vaccine in the 2023-2024 school year." [01:22]

• Expert Insights:

  • Dr. Amesh Adalja:
    "It is troubling because this is completely preventable." [01:04]
    "Measles is still a risk and it is kind of the canary in the coal mine. And it's the most contagious infectious disease known to humans." [01:13]

• Vaccination Concerns:
  All confirmed cases involve individuals who are either unvaccinated or have unknown vaccination statuses, with most affected being school-aged children. The virus's resilience allows it to live on surfaces for up to two hours, facilitating its spread even without direct contact.

• Policy Implications:
  Newly confirmed Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., faces scrutiny due to his history of anti-vaccine activism, despite his recent statements affirming the importance of vaccines. His influence over the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices raises concerns about future vaccination policies.

  "The committee decides what gets covered free of charge by the Vaccines for Children program, which about half of the nation's kids are eligible for." [02:37] – Ping Wang, NPR

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2. DOJ Resignations Amidst Prosecution Controversy

A seismic shift has occurred within the DOJ following orders to drop charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams, leading to unprecedented resignations.

• Background of the Controversy:
  Mayor Adams faces charges of bribery, fraud, and conspiracy related to allegations of personal enrichment through foreign collaborations, charges he denies pleading guilty to.

• Directive to Drop Charges:

  • Emil Bovet's Role:
    "Bove said the DOJ's prosecution of Adams would interfere with Adams upcoming mayoral campaign and impact the mayor's ability to take action on crime and illegal immigration." [04:14]

• Resignations:
  At least seven DOJ officials resigned in protest of Bovet's order, citing concerns over the DOJ's independence and potential politicization.

  • Danielle Sassoon:
    "I believed the law does not support dismissing the charges against Adams and I felt, quote, confident that he committed the crimes." [05:20]

  • Edward Sullivan:
    Opted to sign the dismissal motion to protect his colleagues, highlighting internal dissent.

• Historical Context:
  Sarah Lynch, Reuters reporter, draws parallels to the Nixon era Watergate scandal, emphasizing the rarity and severity of the current DOJ turmoil.

  "Since the 70s, when, famously, Richard Nixon asked his attorney general to fire the special prosecutor who was investigating the Watergate break in." [05:11]

• Potential Quid Pro Quo:
  Prosecutors suggest that the dismissal of charges was intended to facilitate Mayor Adams' collaboration with the Trump administration on immigration initiatives, alleged by some to be a quid pro quo, though both officials deny this.

  "If he doesn't come through, I'll be back in New York City and we won't be sitting on the couch. I'll be in his office, up his butt saying, where the hell is the agreement we came to?" [07:12] – Dr. Amesh Adalja

• Impact on DOJ Integrity:
  The wave of resignations undermines confidence in the DOJ's ability to function as an independent, apolitical entity. Concerns are raised about who remains within the department to uphold legality and ethical standards.

  "It gets to the point where you question who's there left to say no if there's an order given that might not comport with the law, and I think that's what people are questioning right now." [07:31] – Sarah Lynch

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3. Immigration and Economic Struggles in Nebraska

Shifting focus to the Midwest, the episode highlights Nebraska's reliance on immigrant labor and the potential economic fallout from aggressive immigration policies.

• Labor Shortages:
  Nebraska, a leading meat producer, faces severe labor shortages with only 39 workers available per 100 open jobs, primarily in the meatball processing industry.

• Necessity of Immigrants:

  • Jasmine Garsd, NPR:
    "We have to become the most welcoming state to foreign born residents in the country." [08:33]

• Political Divides:
  Despite Nebraska's predominantly pro-Trump electorate, whose support hinges on business-friendly policies, there is a palpable fear among communities about the impact of potential deportations.

  • Perception Among Trump Voters:
    "What I found among Trump voters in Nebraska was the belief that he's not really going to do it. That at the end of the day, President Donald Trump is a businessman and that he will look out for business interests and mass deportations are not business interests." [09:08]

• Community Impact:
  Garsd observed a sense of fear and transformation within Nebraska communities, evidenced by empty streets and closed businesses, signaling the broader socio-economic distress caused by immigration uncertainties.

  "I found these ghost towns." [09:25]

• Historical Context:
  The town of O'Neill, Nebraska, continues to grapple with the aftermath of a 2018 raid, resulting in business closures and the displacement of over 100 families.

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4. Additional News Highlights

Beyond the primary stories, the episode touches on several other significant events:

• Supreme Court Involvement:
  The Trump administration seeks Supreme Court intervention regarding the firing of Hampton Dellinger, head of the Office of Special Counsel, who alleges his termination violates laws safeguarding independent agency leadership.

• Violent Crime Case:
  Five individuals face second-degree murder charges following the prolonged abuse and death of Sam Nordquist, a transgender man, marking one of the most heinous crimes investigated by authorities.

  "One state police captain called it, quote, one of the most horrific crimes I have ever investigated." [07:12]

• Kentucky Flooding:
  Extreme weather conditions led to eight fatalities and widespread power outages in Kentucky. President Trump has approved disaster declarations, enabling FEMA to spearhead relief efforts.

• Federal Government Control:
  Trump's recent social media post challenges judicial checks on his authority, reflecting ongoing tensions between the executive branch and the judiciary.

  "He who saves his country does not violate any laws." [08:49]

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Conclusion

This episode of Apple News Today provides an in-depth analysis of the ongoing crisis within the DOJ, highlighting the delicate balance between political directives and legal integrity. Coupled with discussions on public health challenges and immigration-related economic struggles, the episode underscores the complex interplay of policy, governance, and societal impact in contemporary America.

Listeners are encouraged to engage further with these stories through the Apple News app for comprehensive coverage and ongoing updates.

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Note: Timestamps correspond to the provided transcript and serve to contextualize the quoted material within the episode.

Transcript

[Shemitah Basu]

Good morning. It's Monday, February 17th. I'm Shemitah Basu. This is Apple News today. On today's show, protest resignations at the Department of Justice. Nebraska, a state that relies on an immigrant workforce, braces for deportations and disaster in Kentucky after deadly floods. But first, an outbreak of measles is sweeping through parts of Texas. State health authorities report at least 48 confirmed cases, but say as many as 300 people might be infected. It's Texas's worst outbreak of the highly contagious disease in 30 years. The majority of confirmed cases are in Gaines county, along the New Mexico border. The Texas Department of State Health Services says every infected person is either unvaccinated or their vaccination status is unknown. Most of the confirmed cases are school aged children.

[Dr. Amesh Adalja]

It is troubling because this is completely preventable.

[Shemitah Basu]

That's Dr. Amesh Adalja, an infectious disease physician at Johns Hopkins, speaking to cbs.

[Dr. Amesh Adalja]

And I think this is really a reminder that measles is still a risk and it is kind of the canary in the coal mine. And it's the most contagious infectious disease known to humans.

[Shemitah Basu]

The measles virus can live in the air and on surfaces for up to two hours. That means an unvaccinated person can catch the illness even without being in the same room as an infected person. According to the Dallas Morning News, the outbreak in Gaines county is largely concentrated in the Mennonite population, a religious sect that one Texas health official described as close knit and under vaccinated. In the county, nearly 18% of all kindergarteners were exempt from the measles vaccine in the 2023-2024 school year. That's much higher than the national average of 3.3%. This outbreak comes as the nation's leading health official, newly confirmed Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Faces ongoing scrutiny for his long history of anti vaccine activism. He downplayed that history in his confirmation hearings and told senators he believes vaccines play a critical role in healthcare. And NPR reports that Kennedy now has influence over a key panel called the Advisory Committee on Immunization practices, which guides U.S. policy on vaccines and recommends the vaccine schedule for kids and adults. Public health reporter Ping Wang explained for NPR how that could impact vaccinations nationwide.

[Ping Wang]

The committee decides what gets covered free of charge by the Vaccines for Children program, which about half of the nation's kids are eligible for. And the Affordable Care act also requires various types of health insurance to cover vaccines that this group recommends as well.

[Shemitah Basu]

Shortly after his confirmation, Kennedy told Fox News he doesn't trust people who serve on advisory panels like this. NPR notes the people on this particular panel are typically experts with advanced medical degrees who specialize in vaccines, pediatrics and the immune system. They also hold regular public meetings to discuss what the latest science says on the safety and efficacy of vaccines. But Kennedy has questioned the motivations people have for joining these kinds of panels in the past. Those people, almost all of them, have severe, severe conflicts of interest, and that's not good for our country. Former CDC Director Tom Frieden has said that's not true. He said committee members are vetted for conflicts of interest and ties to vaccine manufacturers, and once they're on the panel, they're required to file annual disclosure reports. Wong on NPR said during the confirmation hearings, at least one senator expressed concerns that Kennedy could replace all of the panel members with vaccine skeptics like himself.

[Ping Wang]

I spoke with experts and former members of the committee and they all agreed with that. They said there's just not a lot of guardrails on this group.

[Shemitah Basu]

Let's turn now to the wave of resignations that rocked the Justice Department at the end of last week. It started when prosecutors were ordered to dismiss charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams, which include bribery, fraud and conspiracy to personally enrich himself by working with foreign nationalscharges that he has pleaded not guilty to. The person who directed prosecutors to drop the case is Emil Bovet, the number two ranking official at the Justice Department. Bove said the DOJ's prosecution of Adams would interfere with Adams upcoming mayoral campaign and impact the mayor's ability to take action on crime and illegal immigration, as the Trump administration has directed so far. At least seven officials at the Justice Department chose to quit following Bove's order to drop the charges. Reuters reporter Sarah lynch covers the doj, which is supposed to be an independent, apolitical arm of government. And she told us the country hasn't seen something like this in decades, arguably.

[Sarah Lynch]

Since the 70s, when, famously, Richard Nixon asked his attorney general to fire the special prosecutor who was investigating the Watergate break in.

[Shemitah Basu]

The resignations started with Danielle Sassoon, the former US Attorney in the Southern District of New York who was Manhattan's top federal prosecutor. She previously clerked for conservative judges, including Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. In a letter to the attorney general, Sassoon wrote she believed the law does not support dismissing the charges against Adams and she felt, quote, confident that he committed the crimes. Bove responded by saying he would strip the case from Sassoon's office. He opened an investigation into her conduct, and lynch said he kept pushing to get the case dropped.

[Sarah Lynch]

He went down to the career prosecutors in Washington who work in the Public Integrity section of the Justice Department. Now, that's the section that does the most politically sensitive investigations, and he tried to ask them to file the motion to dismiss, and they too refused and resigned. Then he went to the next level of management when the two top people there had refused to follow his order, and those three also resigned.

[Shemitah Basu]

One lawyer who resigned wrote that only a fool or coward would obey Bovet's order, but one person ultimately did, Edward Sullivan. The Washington Post spoke to sources who said at first all the lawyers who were asked to do this agreed to resign rather than follow the order. But Sullivan, who is close to retirement, offered to be the one to sign the dismissal motion to save his colleagues from being fired and give them time to find new jobs. Prosecutors have argued that Bovet's reasoning for dismissing the charges against Adams so the mayor could work with the Trump administration on immigration initiatives appears to be a case of quid pro quo, which both Beauvais and Adams have denied. However, Trump's border czar, Tom Homan, who appeared on Fox and Friends alongside Mayor Adams just before the weekend, described what sounded like a quid pro quo type of agreement.

[Dr. Amesh Adalja]

If he doesn't come through, I'll be back in New York City and we won't be sitting on the couch. I'll be in his office, up his butt saying, where the hell is the agreement we came to?

[Shemitah Basu]

Lynch told us. This incident has amplified existing concerns about the DOJ's conduct as the Trump administration continues to fire and reassign career officials.

[Sarah Lynch]

It gets to the point where you question who's there left to say no if there's an order given that might not comport with the law, and I think that's what people are questioning right now.

[Shemitah Basu]

The motion to dismiss the charges was filed on Friday and signed by Bovet himself. A judge needs to review it before Adams case is officially dropped. Now to a state that could feel the sweeping effects of Trump's immigration crackdown harder than most Nebraska Immigrants make up the backbone of Nebraska's meatball processing industry. The state is one of the top meat producers in the country, but it has one of the worst labor shortages of any state. A study released last year by Nebraska's economic chamber found there are only 39 workers for every 100 open jobs. And the report concluded, there's really only one way to fill all these roles.

[Jasmine Garsd]

They found. We have to become the most welcoming state to foreign born residents in the country.

[Shemitah Basu]

Jasmine Garsd is NPR's immigration correspondent.

[Jasmine Garsd]

And they literally use the words, we don't have a choice.

[Shemitah Basu]

At the same time, Nebraskans overwhelmingly voted for President Trump. And if his mass deportation plans impact Nebraska, it would not only affect the state's economy in a major way, but also our wider food system. Some residents told Garsd they're not convinced Trump's efforts will actually impact them overwhelmingly.

[Jasmine Garsd]

What I found among Trump voters in Nebraska was the belief that he's not really going to do it. That at the end of the day, President Donald Trump is a businessman and that he will look out for business interests and mass deportations are not business interests.

[Shemitah Basu]

But as she traveled through Nebraska for her reporting, she noticed how fear has transformed communities already.

[Jasmine Garsd]

It was just like these empty streets, going to the bars and the restaurants. I mean, I spent a fair amount of time there and it was, it was very quiet. And the people who would speak to us told us that they just felt a sense of anguish. You know, I would have restaurant owners be like, people are going to work and home. People aren't risking it. And so what I found was these ghost towns.

[Shemitah Basu]

Since Trump's inauguration, immigration rates have been concentrated in major cities like Atlanta, Los Angeles, and New York. According to ICE, immigration officials are making anywhere from 600 to 1100 arrests a day. The Washington Post reports The town of O'Neill, Nebraska, is still recovering from a raid during Trump's first term in 2018. A number of businesses closed after they couldn't find workers to replace people who were detained and at least 100 families moved away. Before we let you go, a few other stories we're watching. The Trump administration is asking the Supreme Court to weigh in on his firing of Hampton Dellinger, a Biden appointee who leads the Office of Special Counsel. The OSC is an agency that investigates whistleblower reports filed by government workers. Dellinger turned around and sued the Trump administration, saying his termination violates a law protecting leaders of independent agencies from being fired by a president without good cause. As the Washington Post puts it, this is the first time Trump is appealing to the Supreme Court for help in his efforts to seize greater control of the federal government. Meanwhile, Trump posted this phrase to social media over the weekend. He who saves his country does not violate any laws. This comes as some of the president's allies have challenged the legitimacy of judicial checks on Trump. The original quote has been attributed to French military leader Napoleon Bonaparte, who declared himself an emperor in New York. Five people were charged with second degree murder in the death of a transgender man authorities said suffered prolonged abuse and torture. One state police captain called it, quote, one of the most horrific crimes I have ever investigated. Authorities said 24 year old Sam Nordquist was abused between December and February, which led to his death. All five suspects are being held without bail and heavy rain and extreme flooding led to eight deaths in Kentucky this weekend. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said most fatalities were due to people getting trapped in their water, submerged cars. Tens of thousands of people were without power. President Trump approved the state's request for a disaster declaration and authorized FEMA to coordinate relief efforts. You can find all these stories and more in the Apple News app. And if you're already listening in the news app right now, we've got a narrated article coming up next. Time magazine spoke with researchers who are racing to understand why more young adults getting diagnosed with cancer. If you're listening in the podcast app, follow Apple News plus Narrated to find that story. And I'll be back with the news tomorrow.