Earthjustice Action Blasts Confirmation of Emil Bove to Federal Bench

WASHINGTON, DC—Today, the U.S. Senate voted to confirm Emil Bove to a lifetime appointment on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Bove served as President Trump’s personal lawyer before Trump appointed him to Acting Deputy Attorney General. He currently holds a top role in the Deputy Attorney General’s Office.  

During his most recent time at the Justice Department, he led a purge of Justice Department and FBI employees who worked on prosecuting those involved in investigating the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol and intervened to dismiss corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams. He also stands accused by whistleblowers of telling Justice Department lawyers to willingly ignore court orders.  

After the vote, Earthjustice Action Vice President of Policy and Legislation Raúl García issued the following statement:  

“Given his record and recent allegations regarding his conduct, Emil Bove doesn’t possess the character or integrity required for a lifetime appointment to the federal judiciary. In just the past few months he has routinely flouted ethics, skirted norms, and engaged in an all-out assault on the independence of the Justice Department. He poses a grave threat to the rule of law and judicial independence. 

“At a time when judicial ethics and independence are critical given the constant overreach from the Trump Administration, it’s appalling to see Republican Senators insist on his confirmation. They are complicit in Trump’s unprecedented assault on our judiciary as well as the price it will extract from our environment, individual rights, and the rule of law. Judges are supposed to be fair, grounded in the law, and independent. Bove possess none of those characteristics.”