Republicans powered through committee Thursday the nomination of Emil Bove to be a federal appeals court judge, brushing aside Democrats’ vehement complaints that President Trump’s former defense lawyer is a bad pick.
Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles E. Grassley gaveled the vote closed and announced Mr. Bove’s nomination will move to the full Senate even as Democrats accused him of shutting down efforts to expose Mr. Bove as unfit for the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
“This is out of order. This undermines the basic decency of this committee,” said Sen. Cory Booker, New Jersey Democrat.
Mr. Bove has turned into another fight for Mr. Trump as he seeks to continue his first-term makeover of the federal judiciary with conservative picks.
He served on Mr. Trump’s legal defense team, then joined the Justice Department as a senior official, where his service has come under scrutiny.
Democrats say he engaged in a quid pro quo to dismiss criminal charges against New York Mayor Eric Adams in exchange for better cooperation on immigration. And a fired Justice Department lawyer has accused Mr. Bove of demanding the government defy a judge’s orders trying to halt deportation flights.
Mr. Bove, in his confirmation hearing, denied both accusations — though he said he couldn’t specifically recall if he urged the administration to “ignore” a judge.
Mr. Booker and fellow Democrats demanded Thursday’s vote be delayed and the former department lawyer be brought to testify publicly about that incident.
Mr. Grassley shut those efforts down.
“What we’re witnessing has all the hallmarks of a political hit job timed for maximum media splash with minimum substance,” the Iowa Republican said.
Mr. Bove told senators during his confirmation hearing that he wouldn’t be Mr. Trump’s “henchman” if he were confirmed to the appeals court seat.
