The US Senate has confirmed President Donald Trump’s nominee, Emil Bove, as a federal appeals court judge, sparking concerns about the potential impact on the judiciary. Bove, Trump’s former personal lawyer, was confirmed in a 50-49 partisan vote, with two Republicans voting against him. This appointment has raised eyebrows, particularly given Bove’s role in defending Trump against criminal charges in New York and his actions as acting deputy attorney general.
Critics argue that Bove’s confirmation threatens the judiciary’s integrity, citing his alleged involvement in unethical behavior. During his nearly six-month tenure as acting deputy attorney general, Bove faced at least three whistleblower complaints.
These complaints include allegations that he sought to end the federal prosecution of New York City Mayor Eric Adams in exchange for a crackdown on migrants in the city and later lied about it to the Senate. Additionally, two whistleblowers reported that Bove advised Department of Justice members to defy court orders contrary to Trump’s policies, using derogatory language.
Bove’s confirmation has sparked debate about Trump’s approach to the judiciary. In his first term, Trump appointed 226 federal judges, including 54 appellate judges and three Supreme Court justices. These appointments were largely drawn from a pool of candidates approved by conservative groups like the Federalist Society. However, Trump’s decision to nominate Bove has been seen as a break from this traditional conservative pipeline.
Gregg Nunziata, executive director of the Society for the Rule of Law, a conservative legal group, expressed concerns about Bove’s nomination, stating that it “threatens to portend a broader turn toward the appointment of result-oriented loyalists to the judiciary”.
Nunziata urged lawmakers to oppose Bove’s nomination, describing his conduct as “unthinkable” for a federal judge. Similarly, Senator Lisa Murkowski, one of the two Republicans to oppose the confirmation, said the evidence presented portrayed Bove as “somebody who has counseled other attorneys that you should ignore the law, you should reject the law”. Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse bluntly assessed Bove as “a genuinely bad guy”.
The confirmation of Bove raises questions about Trump’s future appointments to the judiciary. Trump’s attacks on the federal judiciary have been unprecedented, with judges openly speculating that the Trump administration may be found in contempt for ignoring court orders. Trump’s criticism of judges as “deranged” or “lunatic” for opposing his policies has also sparked concern. It remains to be seen whether Bove’s appointment will set a new trend for Trump’s judicial nominations.