On Wednesday, July 30, 2025, NBC News reported that the Republican-controlled Senate confirmed Emil Bove, a former attorney for President Donald Trump, as a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit.

The vote, which secured Bove a lifetime appointment, passed 50-49 with only Republican support. Two Republicans, Senators Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine, joined Democrats in opposing the nomination.

The confirmation followed allegations from three whistleblowers regarding Bove’s conduct as a Justice Department official. One whistleblower, Erez Reuveni, told Congress through his legal team that Bove instructed subordinates to consider disregarding court orders that could block Trump’s deportation policies. These remarks reportedly occurred on March 14, the day before deportations were carried out under the Alien Enemies Act. A second whistleblower supported Reuveni’s account, alleging Bove suggested the Justice Department might need to defy judicial rulings.

A third whistleblower raised separate concerns, providing evidence that Bove may have misled senators during his confirmation hearing about his role in the Justice Department’s dismissal of a case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams. Details of these allegations remain undisclosed, though The Washington Post first reported the connection to the Adams case.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, a Republican from Iowa, dismissed the third whistleblower’s claims as “another breathless accusation,” noting that Bove had denied the allegations under oath. Grassley’s staff met with the whistleblower’s attorneys, but the senator maintained that the accusations would not delay the confirmation vote.

Grassley praised Bove’s legal qualifications and service, expressing confidence in his ability to serve as a diligent and impartial judge. He criticized Democrats for what he described as unfair attacks aimed at derailing the nomination.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat from New York, strongly opposed Bove, describing him as an extreme nominee with a deep loyalty to Trump and a lack of judicial temperament. “Shame on you,” Schumer told Republicans after the vote. “This is a dark, dark day.”

Senators Adam Schiff of California and Cory Booker of New Jersey, both Democrats, sent a letter to the Justice Department’s acting inspector general before the vote, inquiring whether investigations into Bove were underway. They urged a thorough review of the whistleblower allegations to ensure senators had complete information before voting.

Senator Thom Tillis, a Republican from North Carolina who is retiring, acknowledged being approached by whistleblowers about Bove but chose to follow Grassley’s lead and voted in favor of confirmation. Tillis expressed frustration over the timing of the third whistleblower’s allegations, comparing them to late claims made during Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s 2018 Supreme Court confirmation.

 

 

Source: NBC News