WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer, Emil Bove, was confirmed as a federal appellate judge in a narrow 50-49 Senate vote on Tuesday. The Republican-led chamber approved Bove’s lifetime appointment to the 3rd US Circuit Court of Appeals despite strong Democratic opposition.
Two Republican senators, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine, broke ranks to vote against the nomination. However, the GOP’s 53-47 majority ensured Bove’s confirmation. The 44-year-old former federal prosecutor previously served as the third-ranking official in the Justice Department under Trump.
Senate Judiciary Committee Democrat Dick Durbin sharply criticized the appointment, stating, “Mr. Bove’s primary qualification appears to be his blind loyalty to this President.” Durbin cited Bove’s alleged support for January 6 Capitol rioters and his dismissal of prosecutors investigating them.
Legal professionals had voiced strong objections before the vote. Over 900 former Justice Department attorneys signed a letter calling Bove’s promotion “intolerable,“ while 75 retired judges argued it was “deeply inappropriate for a president to nominate their own criminal defense attorney.”
Bove represented Trump in multiple cases, including the New York hush money trial that resulted in Trump’s conviction on 34 counts. He also handled two federal criminal cases that were dismissed after Trump’s 2024 election victory.
Earlier this year, Bove faced scrutiny for dropping bribery charges against New York Mayor Eric Adams, which triggered resignations in the Manhattan US attorney’s office. He denied allegations that the decision was politically motivated. - AFP
