New York State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal Submits Formal Complaint Against Acting Deputy AG Emil Bove to Attorney Grievance Committee

NEW YORK — New York State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal (D/WFP-Manhattan), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, announced today that he has submitted a letter to the Attorney Grievance Committee of the Supreme Court of the State of New York, Appellate Division, First Department, regarding Acting Deputy United States Attorney General Emil Joseph Bove III’s conduct with respect to United States v. Eric Adams, 24 Cr. 556 (DEH).  

In the complaint Senator Hoylman-Sigal expresses his deep concern regarding, “Mr. Bove’s reported facilitation of a quid pro quo to facilitate a dismissal of the indictment against New York City Mayor Eric Adams – without any cognizable legal basis – in exchange for Mayor Adams’ cooperation with the Trump Administration’s efforts to detain and deport migrants.” If the alleged quid pro quo did occur, it would violate the Rules of Professional Conduct that all Attorneys recognized by the Bar Association of New York State are sworn to uphold. Specifically, this would be a violation of Rule 8.4 of the Rules of Professional Conduct, which provides that an attorney shall not “engage in conduct that is prejudicial to the administration of justice,” “engage in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit or misrepresentation,” and “engage in any other conduct that adversely reflects on the lawyer’s fitness as a lawyer.” 

Senator Hoylman-Sigal has called on the Attorney Grievance Committee to promptly review this matter and give serious consideration to all available sanctions, up to and including, a recommendation that Mr. Bove be stripped of his license to practice law. 

The full complaint can be found here.

Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal said: “I am appalled that the Trump Administration’s Justice Department, under Attorney General Pam Bondi and Acting Deputy AG Emil Bove, has intervened in the Eric Adams case, despite no change in the law or evidence presented. Even more concerning is the alleged quid pro quo that was offered to drop the case against Mayor Adams in exchange for his cooperation enforcing the Trump Administration’s immigration policy. I am asking the Attorney Grievance Committee, the body responsible for considering allegations of attorney misconduct, to review this matter and recommend sanctions against Mr. Bove if they found that he did, in fact, violate the Rules of Professional Conduct by abusing the legal process for political ends.”

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