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Fox News
7 days ago
- Politics
- Fox News
Senate Republicans, do the right thing on Trump's unfit judicial nominee
This week, Republican members of the Senate Judiciary Committee will once again be asked to draw the line between what is permissible and impermissible for a Trump nominee, when they decide whether Emil Bove's nomination to the Third Circuit Court of Appeals should receive a full Senate vote. Confirming Bove would mean redrawing that line to ignore serious concerns about his truthfulness under oath. I was in the room when he made statements that my colleagues and I understood as threats—meant to pressure us into signing a motion to dismiss the federal criminal case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams. Mr. Bove has since denied making any such statements in testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee, but those denials do not reflect what actually took place. In February of this year, then-Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove ordered prosecutors in my former office, the Public Integrity Section, to dismiss the bribery case against Mayor Adams. Bove openly admitted in a memorandum that the dismissal was unrelated to the facts and the law. This led to the resignation of five Public Integrity Section prosecutors, including me, to go along with prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney's Office in New York, who also refused the order and resigned. The Public Integrity Section has since been reduced to less than five prosecutors, meaning the only component of the Justice Department's Criminal Division dedicated to prosecuting domestic public corruption exists almost entirely in name only today. In his written responses to members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Bove flatly denied that he ever so much as suggested a threat to me and my colleagues, explaining that during the meeting with our section, "[i]t was never my intention to coerce, pressure, or induce an DOJ attorney – through adverse employment actions, threats, rewards, or otherwise – to sign the motion to dismiss the charges against Mayor Adams." But by the time of that meeting, it's undisputed that he had already accepted the forced resignation of the U.S. Attorney in New York, put line prosecutors from that office on administrative leave for not signing the motion, and forced the entirety of the Public Integrity Section's management to resign when it refused to carry out his order. And how does his denial square with his admission that he generally recalls "[telling us] he didn't want to get anyone in trouble ... so he didn't want to know who was opposed to signing the motion"? Bove's nomination would mark a troubling precedent: confirming a nominee who, in my view, gave testimony that was so obviously misleading to the committee and the American public. That's what makes this so profoundly disturbing. Previous contested judicial confirmation hearings have involved accusations where one nomination's credibility was pitted against that of an accuser, or judicial credentials were questioned. But never before has a nominee testified in such a demonstrably brazen manner with a wink and nod to the Republican committee members. There is only one realistic hope to prevent Bove's nomination from moving forward to a full floor vote, and it rests on the shoulders of Sen. Thom Tillis. The North Carolina Republican, a staunch conservative, has previously demonstrated political courage by speaking for his principles, not his party, on many issues. He believes in "calling the balls and strikes." Sen. Tillis prevented the confirmation of Edward Martin, the woefully unqualified nominee for U.S. Attorney in the District of Columbia, who used his office to pen threatening, typo-ridden letters to Democratic members of Congress, defense attorneys, and Georgetown University. Bove poses a far graver threat, in that his would be a lifetime tenure to a judicial branch he believes should not be a check on the president's power. Moreover, Trump's latest tussle with Leonard Leo and the Federalist Society further reveals that he is no longer looking for jurists who are conservatives, but rather, loyalists. So, who would be better to elevate from a federal circuit court to the Supreme Court if Justices Thomas or Alito decided to retire before 2028 than Bove? On the Sunday night before I sent my resignation letter to Attorney General Bondi (Bove was cc-ed) on Monday, I was clearing out my belongings from my office when I noticed that someone had prominently placed a plaque on our reception desk. It quoted Abraham Lincoln: "If you want to test a man's character, give him power." Bove served as line prosecutor earlier in his career – he knows the prosecutor's code. But, in my experience, it appears that once he had a whiff of power, Bove was willing to abuse it. With his smug testimony, Bove has essentially called the Republicans' bluff, believing that Sen. Tillis and the others won't have the courage to vote against him. Citizens of all political persuasions should hope that Sen. Tillis shows the courage and character that Bove lacks by voting no on his confirmation.
Daily Mail
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Moment Trump's pick for Singapore ambassador awkwardly flubs simple questions about the country
President Donald Trump 's unusual choice to be U.S. ambassador to Singapore struggled through simple questioning about the country he'll be tasked with serving as the president's liaison. The little-known Florida orthopedic surgeon appeared nervous as he navigated simple questions during his confirmation hearing. Dr. Anji Sinha, didn't attract anywhere near the attention as Trump's high-profile nominee to serve as U.S. ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle, who is the ex-fiancee of Donald Trump, Jr. and also had her hearing Tuesday. Both shared the spotlight at four-way Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing. Trump's statement nominating him revealed virtually nothing about his background, simply calling him 'a highly respected entrepreneur, with an incredible family!' That only prompted online sleuths to try to uncover just who Trump had nominated for the important post inside China's desired sphere of influence. Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.) asked the nominee a straight-up question about what he would prioritize to strengthen the U.S.-Singapore partnership and deepen cooperation. 'As you know, I am a physician, a surgeon, so I have been a long-time bridge builder,' was his flowery response. 'And I believe strongly in a person-to-person connection. If confirmed, my first basis would be to go there and create a very good, strong relationship with the Singapore government.' Illinois Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth tried to to probe his knowledge of the country in China 's periphery where he will represent U.S. interests. She said she isn't opposed to political appointees, per se, pointing to fellow panel member Sen. Bill Hagerty, a successful former U.S. ambassador to China. 'You are not currently prepared for this posting, period. And you need to shape up and do some homework,' she lectured the physician, who sported a dark suit with wide pin-stripes and spoke in accented English. 'This is not a role you can just pick up on a whim or because you think it would be glamorous or because Singapore is a great place to live,' she stated. 'Frankly, I don't think you are particularly qualified for this role,' she told him, before giving him the chance to 'assuage my doubt.' Duckworth hit the nominee with a series of questions, and said she was not impressed with his answers. 'How large was the U.S. trade surplus with Singapore in 2024?' she asked. Eighteen billion was Sinha's answer. Duckworth told him the correct answer was $2.8 billion, 'so you're off by a huge factor.' She also tried to get him to say whether he agreed with Trump's move to slap a 10 percent tariff on Singapore despite the U.S. trade surplus with the country. Singapore wasn't one of 14 mostly Asian countries to get one of Trump's first batch of letters, but was expected to face that tariff despite the U.S. surplus. He declined to criticize the president who nominated him and tried to punt, saying the dialogue was not closed – which may have been the smart move at a time when Trump was slapping a 50 percent tariff on copper and firing off trade letters to countries around the world. 'When is Singapore going to be the ASEAN chair,' she asked him. about the prominent group of southeast Asian nations, prompting him to say 'I don't know when.' 'Can you name one thing, a role that they would have to play as ASEAN chair,' she asked him. 'Can you name one thing that would be of critical importance to Singapore' as it chairs the multi-nation group, she asked. 'Defense, economics,' was Sinha's curt response. 'Those are very broad. Name an issue!' the Illinois lawmaker demanded he tell her. 'Trade,' he responded. Then she tried to gauge his knowledge, or perhaps trip him up, with a question about how he envisioned strengthening the US Navy's work with Singapore and whether there are 'any facilities that come to mind that are central to our relationship with Singapore.' 'We have a naval presence in Singapore. Our military - they always do exercise with Singapore,' was about as detailed as he would get. That prompted an explosion from Duckworth. 'Can you name a specific thing, please? I'm trying to help you here, but you've not even done your homework, sir,' she scolded. She said the job 'should not be treated as a glamor posting.' The questions came for a nominee about whom very little is known, and even less about any ties he may have to Singapore. It took reporting from local Taiwan media to uncover that Sinha was even a medical doctor, and then establish he was most likely an orthopedist – something Sinha confirmed in his statement. He said his wife is also a physician. Sinha has practiced medicine in Flushing, Queens, and Boca Raton, Florida. A 2016 Bloomberg report identified him as being well known around Trump International Golf Club in West Palm beach, where the president plays when he is staying at nearby Mar-a-Lago. 'Who do you want to interview? I know everybody here,' he told a reporter. 'Boy, there are a lot of famous people. A lot of billionaires here.' The edge Singapore reported Trump and Sinha have been friends since at least the early 2010s, and that he is either a member of Trump National or Mar-a-Lago. The Daily Mail has asked the White House for any information on Sinha's club memberships and how Trump came to know him or know of him. Sinha specializes in frozen shoulder and other musculoskeletal issues, the Straits Times reported in March after Trump announced the surprise nomination, at a time when it wasn't entirely clear he was even a medical doctor. A campaign records search shows he gave only $4,500 to candidates or parties through official contributions, although 'dark money' contributions aren't disclosed. Some of the money went to Democrats, with only $1,500 going to Trump's campaign effort. According to a certificate of competency posted by the State Department, Sinha is a 'preeminent surgeon on the East Coast specializing in orthopedics and sports medicine. He is an accomplished entrepreneur, having built multiple thriving key-man practices with specialized teams across eight locations in New York, and has served as a senior surgical consultant in Florida.' 'With native respect for both American and Asian values, and his deep social and cultural ties to the Indo-Pacific region, Dr. Sinha is uniquely positioned to relate to its key stakeholders,' it says. It says he is a graduate of the MGM Medical School and Delhi University in India, with a Masters of Orthopedic Surgery
Yahoo
29-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump Lackey Emil Bove Up For Senate Grilling As Trump Tries To Make Him A Judge
The man who spearheaded the administration's effort to remake the Department of Justice into Trump's ideal is up for a hearing Tuesday morning before the Senate Judiciary Committee over his nomination to be a federal appeals court judge. Emil Bove is a former Manhattan federal prosecutor who, until January, was a personal lawyer to President Trump in his criminal cases. He has served in various senior roles in the first months of the Trump DOJ, including associate deputy attorney general. Trump nominated Bove to a position on the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. We expect much about his DOJ tenure to come up at the hearing. Follow along below.
The Standard
24-06-2025
- Business
- The Standard
Trump says US interest rates should be at least two to three points lower
U.S. President Donald Trump looks on as Jerome Powell, his nominee to become chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve, speaks at the White House in Washington, U.S., November 2, 2017. (Reuters)
The Verge
17-06-2025
- Business
- The Verge
Senate confirms Trump's FCC pick, Olivia Trusty
The Senate confirmed Republican Olivia Trusty to serve on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Tuesday, installing another nominee by President Donald Trump and ending the brief lack of quorum at the agency. The vote was 53-45, with Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) being the only Democrat to vote in her favor. Trusty will join Republican Chair Brendan Carr and Democratic Commissioner Anna Gomez on the panel, with two seats remaining empty. Trump has yet to select other nominees for the roles. No more than three commissioners on the independent agency are allowed to be from the same party, though Gomez had expressed doubt that Trump may nominate another Democrat to the agency. Former Republican Commissioner Nathan Simington endorsed his chief of staff, Gavin Wax, a MAGA loyalist who once said Trump's return to office would be a 'time for retribution,' after announcing he'd be stepping down from his post. Trusty was a longtime staffer for Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS), who previously served as the top Republican on the Commerce Committee, which oversees the FCC and related issues. Commerce Committee Ranking Member Maria Cantwell (D-WA) said in a letter to Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), Monday, she opposed Trusty's confirmation largely due to concern with the Trump administration's actions. 'Although I respect the nominee's professional background, when I spoke in support of Ms. Trusty's nomination in Committee on April 30, I explained that my support was not absolute,' Cantwell wrote. 'Since then, the Trump Administration has pursued a series of concerning policies, leading me to oppose Ms. Trusty's nomination.' Cantwell said she's concerned that Trusty's nomination was not paired with a Democratic one, which would be 'consistent with longstanding practice,' she wrote. She pointed to Trump's attempted firing of two Democratic commissioners at the Federal Trade Commission, another agency created to be independent from the president and whose commissioners the Supreme Court has said cannot be fired without cause. 'I remain seriously concerned that this Administration will try to illegally terminate Democratic Commissioner Anna Gomez, refuse to nominate any Democratic replacements, and then operate the Commission on a strictly partisan basis,' Cantwell wrote. 'These are not normal times' Trusty's confirmation gives Carr a 2-1 Republican majority to carry out his agenda, including slashing agency regulations and pursuing action against media outlets he views as countering the administration. 'I look forward to welcoming Olivia to the Commission as a colleague and advancing an agenda that will deliver great results for the American people,' Carr said in a statement. Gomez similarly praised Trusty's experience and welcomed her to the panel. 'I have known Olivia for years and have been very impressed with her strong background in communications policy, which will be a great asset to this agency,' Gomez wrote in a statement. 'In normal times, there'd be little reason to oppose the confirmation of a candidate as qualified as Trusty. But these are not normal times.' Matt Wood, VP of policy and general counsel of nonpartisan group Free Press Action, said in a statement. 'Trusty's confirmation gives Carr the majority he needs to radically reshape the media sector in Trump's image, including offering policy favors to large broadcasters in exchange for their unwavering loyalty to the president.'
