不要忘記,在荒謬的世界裡,還是有擇善固執的好人。
在最後一刻辭職,以圖阻止嚴重錯誤,是公職人員的既有傳統。部份人或會將你犯的錯誤,和他們對新政府的不滿混為一談。我不認同這種觀點。我甚至能理解,一位擁有商業和政治背景的總統,或視這「有條件的撤訴」為一筆令人厭惡但可行的好交易。然而,任何美國助理檢察官都應該知道,我們的法律和傳統不允許利用檢控權來影響其他公民,更遑論民選官員。如果總統身邊的律師都不願意給他這個忠告,我預計你最終還是會找到一個夠愚蠢,或是夠懦弱的人來提交你的動議。但那個人絕不是我。
There is a tradition in public service of resigning in a last-ditch effort to head off a serious mistake. Some will view the mistake you are committing here in the light of their generally negative views of the new Administration. I do not share those views. I can even understand how a Chief Executive whose background is in business and politics might see the contemplated dismissal-with-leverage as a good, if distasteful, deal. But any assistant U.S. attorney would know that our laws and traditions do not allow using the prosecutorial power to influence other citizens, much less elected officials, in this way. If no lawyer within earshot of the President is willing to give him that advice, then I expect you will eventually find someone who is enough of a fool, or enough of a coward, to file your motion. But it was never going to be me.
(紐約市長 Eric Adams 被控貪污,司法部涉嫌以撤銷控罪為條件,來換取紐約市合作遞解非法移民。多名檢察官違抗這明目張膽貪污的命令,相繼辭職。這是檢察官 Hagan Scotten 辭職信的最後一段。)
( ChatGPT 翻譯,稍作修改。)