Latest news with #judgeship
CBS News
15-07-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Former Justice Department prosecutors seek to derail Emil Bove's federal judge nomination, memos say
A group of former Justice Department officials are making an eleventh-hour effort to derail President Trump's nomination of Emil Bove for a lifetime appointment to a federal judgeship, according to memos obtained by CBS News. The effort includes outreach to sway the vote of Sen. Thom Tillis, a North Carolina Republican whose objection doomed the nomination of another Trump surrogate earlier this year. The Senate Judiciary Committee is expected to hold a vote on Bove's nomination for a seat on the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday. Bove, a former personal defense attorney for Mr. Trump, has been a magnet for controversy this year as he has served as a top Justice Department administrator. A group of eight former federal prosecutors have drafted a memo for senators arguing for the defeat of Bove's nomination. The group accuses Bove of being a "hatchet man" for Mr. Trump who would work as a loyalist for the president from the bench. In the memo, the former prosecutors accuse Bove of executing mass firings inside the agency of people "perceived not to show sufficient loyalty to the Administration's policies." They also point to a whistleblower complaint accusing Bove and others of discussing whether to ignore court orders. The group also argues Bove sought to execute a quid pro quo earlier this year, by forcing out Justice Department employees who refused to work to dismiss New York Mayor Eric Adams' "serious criminal corruption indictment in return for the mayor's commitment to cooperate with the Administration's immigration policy." Bove has denied that Adams' prosecution was dropped as part of a quid pro quo. Dan Toomey, a former federal prosecutor in Washington, is helping to lead the effort and is among the signatories to the memo. Toomey is a former president of the D.C. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Association. "We are exceedingly worried about whether or not this man is going to be a guy who is fair and impartial as a judge, or just a mouthpiece for the administration," he told CBS News. Chuck Work, who served as a D.C. federal prosecutor in the 1970s, has also signed his name to the memo opposing Bove's confirmation. Work told CBS News, "Employees have had complaints about Bove's temperament. Temperament is really important for a judge. And this man does not have it." The former prosecutors are asking Judiciary Committee leaders to delay any vote on Bove until the panel can hear testimony from a Justice Department whistleblower who has alleged Bove sought to defy court orders. The whistleblower, Erez Reuveni, alleges he was "threatened, fired, and publicly disparaged" in his final weeks in the department after he questioned instructions from top Justice Department officials to ignore court orders and misrepresent facts in three separate, high-profile standoffs between the department and federal judges over immigration cases. Among those officials was Bove. "To ensure that the committee is not accused of 'rubber stamping' this nomination, it has to hear from the whistleblower and review the contemporary and damning documentation he's provided," Toomey said. The Justice Department defended Bove in response to Reuveni's allegations. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said his account contains "falsehoods purportedly made by a disgruntled former employee," and "at no time did anyone suggest a court order should not be followed." Documents reviewed by CBS News showed the group has attempted to press Tillis to "come to the rescue of the rule of law and oppose the nomination of Emil Bove to the Third Circuit." Tillis told CBS News on Tuesday that Bove "has the votes" to move through the Senate Judiciary Committee, after which the Senate would vote on his nomination. But Tillis said he is unsure if Bove has sufficient votes to pass in the Senate. Tillis did not mention any objections he had to Bove's nomination. Tillis has told reporters in the past he's likely to vote in favor of Bove. Tillis — who is not running for reelection next year — has occasionally broken with Mr. Trump. Earlier this year, Tillis objected to the nomination of Trump surrogate and former Jan. 6 defense lawyer Ed Martin for the top federal prosecutor position in Washington, D.C. Tillis has also criticized Trump surrogates who deny the violence against police in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. Bove is accused of ordering the FBI to compile a list of more than 5,000 FBI employees who were part of the Jan. 6 probe, for a further internal review of the agents' actions in the cases. "Tillis has said the January 6th insurrection happened and that the pardons that Trump issued 'sucked,'" Work said. "He went around and told that to police officers around Capitol Hill." When asked for comment, the White House has championed Bove's nomination for the court. "Emil Bove is an incredibly talented legal mind and a staunch defender of the U.S. Constitution who will make an excellent circuit court judge. Bove is unquestionably qualified for the role and has a career filled with accolades, both academically and throughout his legal career, that should make him a shoo-in for the Third Circuit," White House spokesman Harrison Fields told CBS News earlier this month. "The President is committed to nominating constitutionalists to the bench who will restore law and order and end the weaponization of the justice system, and Emil Bove fits that mold perfectly," Fields said.
CNN
15-07-2025
- Politics
- CNN
More than 75 former judges urge Senate committee to reject Trump judicial nominee Emil Bove
More than 75 former federal and state judges on Tuesday called on the Senate Judiciary Committee to reject the nomination of Emil Bove, President Donald Trump's former personal attorney, to a prestigious appeals-court judgeship. 'Mr. Bove's egregious record of mistreating law enforcement officers, abusing power, and disregarding the law itself disqualifies him for this position,' the group wrote, pointing to a series of controversies Bove has been at the center of over the past six months while serving as a high-ranking Justice Department official. Those include investigating FBI and DOJ officials who worked on cases related to the January 6, 2021, insurrection and dropping federal charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams. The letter also noted allegations that Bove 'explicitly plotted to violate court orders and direct law enforcement officers to engage in illegal acts' in an effort to further Trump's deportation agenda, referring to a whistleblower report from a former Justice Department attorney. 'That whistleblower, Erez Reuveni, has provided members of this committee with compelling evidence and volunteered to testify under oath,' the letter continued. 'The Senate has a duty to hear that testimony.' Bove, who would serve a lifetime appointment on the 3rd US Circuit Court of Appeals if confirmed by the Senate, repeatedly denied several accusations of corruption during his confirmation hearing last month before the Judiciary committee. 'I am not anybody's henchman,' Bove told the panel on June 25. 'I'm not an enforcer. I'm a lawyer from a small town, who never expected to be in an arena like this.' Several retired federal appeals court judges who were nominated by Republican presidents have signed on to the letter, including J. Michael Luttig, a Trump critic and a prominent conservative legal scholar put on the bench by President George H.W. Bush. Luttig endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris last year. Bove is set to receive a Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation vote on Thursday. GOP Sen. Thom Tillis, a GOP swing vote, told CNN on Monday he is inclined to support Bove's nomination even though the nominee did not denounce violence on January 6 in a questionnaire obtained by CNN, a red line the retiring senator had drawn. The senator from North Carolina previously told CNN's Jake Tapper that he would not support any nominees who expressed support for the attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2021. It was the reason Tillis would not support the nomination of Trump's former DC US Attorney nominee, Ed Martin, opposition which effectively derailed the nomination. The judges' letter also argues that it is 'deeply inappropriate' for a president to nominate their own former criminal defense attorney to serve on the federal bench. Bove's nomination marks the first time Trump has nominated one of his former lawyers for a federal judgeship. The group noted that those signees who served on the federal judiciary and went through Senate confirmation 'know how critical it is for the functioning of our justice system that Senators rigorously vet nominees for lifetime federal judicial appointments that affect countless lives.' Elevating Bove, the judges wrote, 'would not only compromise the integrity of the courts, it would set a dangerous precedent that judicial power may be wielded in service of personal fealty rather than constitutional duty.' If confirmed, Bove would be one of roughly a dozen judges with the power to review federal cases being appealed in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and the Virgin Islands. Bove, who spent a decade working as a federal prosecutor in the Southern District of New York, joined Trump's legal team in 2023. He worked on three of Trump's criminal cases over the span of roughly 18 months and became interim deputy attorney general soon after Trump took office in January. He quickly moved to align the department with Trump's vision, clashing with career officials in the process. Some of the department's more controversial moves, largely executed by Bove himself, resulted in mass resignations and firings within the department. CNN's Annie Grayer, Manu Raju, Paula Reid, Casey Gannon and Holmes Lybrand contributed to this report.
CNN
15-07-2025
- Politics
- CNN
More than 75 former judges urge Senate committee to reject Trump judicial nominee Emil Bove
More than 75 former federal and state judges on Tuesday called on the Senate Judiciary Committee to reject the nomination of Emil Bove, President Donald Trump's former personal attorney, to a prestigious appeals-court judgeship. 'Mr. Bove's egregious record of mistreating law enforcement officers, abusing power, and disregarding the law itself disqualifies him for this position,' the group wrote, pointing to a series of controversies Bove has been at the center of over the past six months while serving as a high-ranking Justice Department official. Those include investigating FBI and DOJ officials who worked on cases related to the January 6, 2021, insurrection and dropping federal charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams. The letter also noted allegations that Bove 'explicitly plotted to violate court orders and direct law enforcement officers to engage in illegal acts' in an effort to further Trump's deportation agenda, referring to a whistleblower report from a former Justice Department attorney. 'That whistleblower, Erez Reuveni, has provided members of this committee with compelling evidence and volunteered to testify under oath,' the letter continued. 'The Senate has a duty to hear that testimony.' Bove, who would serve a lifetime appointment on the 3rd US Circuit Court of Appeals if confirmed by the Senate, repeatedly denied several accusations of corruption during his confirmation hearing last month before the Judiciary committee. 'I am not anybody's henchman,' Bove told the panel on June 25. 'I'm not an enforcer. I'm a lawyer from a small town, who never expected to be in an arena like this.' Several retired federal appeals court judges who were nominated by Republican presidents have signed on to the letter, including J. Michael Luttig, a Trump critic and a prominent conservative legal scholar put on the bench by President George H.W. Bush. Luttig endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris last year. Bove is set to receive a Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation vote on Thursday. GOP Sen. Thom Tillis, a GOP swing vote, told CNN on Monday he is inclined to support Bove's nomination even though the nominee did not denounce violence on January 6 in a questionnaire obtained by CNN, a red line the retiring senator had drawn. The senator from North Carolina previously told CNN's Jake Tapper that he would not support any nominees who expressed support for the attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2021. It was the reason Tillis would not support the nomination of Trump's former DC US Attorney nominee, Ed Martin, opposition which effectively derailed the nomination. The judges' letter also argues that it is 'deeply inappropriate' for a president to nominate their own former criminal defense attorney to serve on the federal bench. Bove's nomination marks the first time Trump has nominated one of his former lawyers for a federal judgeship. The group noted that those signees who served on the federal judiciary and went through Senate confirmation 'know how critical it is for the functioning of our justice system that Senators rigorously vet nominees for lifetime federal judicial appointments that affect countless lives.' Elevating Bove, the judges wrote, 'would not only compromise the integrity of the courts, it would set a dangerous precedent that judicial power may be wielded in service of personal fealty rather than constitutional duty.' If confirmed, Bove would be one of roughly a dozen judges with the power to review federal cases being appealed in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and the Virgin Islands. Bove, who spent a decade working as a federal prosecutor in the Southern District of New York, joined Trump's legal team in 2023. He worked on three of Trump's criminal cases over the span of roughly 18 months and became interim deputy attorney general soon after Trump took office in January. He quickly moved to align the department with Trump's vision, clashing with career officials in the process. Some of the department's more controversial moves, largely executed by Bove himself, resulted in mass resignations and firings within the department. CNN's Annie Grayer, Manu Raju, Paula Reid, Casey Gannon and Holmes Lybrand contributed to this report.
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
DeSantis sued by ACLU over missing deadline to appoint new Tallahassee-area judge
The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida wants the state's highest court to tell Gov. Ron DeSantis to get a move on in filling a Tallahassee-area judgeship. The civil-rights group says it filed what's known as a petition for writ of mandamus with the Florida Supreme Court on July 3. It's a court order that compels an elected official to perform a certain action. Nicholas Warren, a staff attorney with the ACLU of Florida, told the Tallahassee Democrat that DeSantis blew a constitutional deadline of June 29 to appoint a new circuit judge in the Big Bend's 2nd Judicial Circuit, replacing Robert Wheeler, who retired. Maite Garcia, a Tallahassee-based attorney, is the petitioner in the lawsuit. 'Judges have the power to shape our lives, ruling on everything from custody disputes to serious criminal cases to violations of our constitutional rights," Garcia said in a statement. "This vacancy must be filled without delay to ensure access to justice and protect our community's right to elect a judge of our choosing.' Because of election deadlines, the governor's delay may create extra time before his appointee has to run for the seat, the petition says. Circuit judges who are appointed must run as no party-candidates in the next general election. They then serve six-year terms. "Had the Governor complied with his duty, his appointee's term would end on January 4, 2027, allowing voters to elect their candidate of choice at the 2026 election," it says. "If the Governor fails to fill this vacancy by August 18, 2025,his appointee may evade the electors until the 2028 election." A request for comment is pending with the governor's office; state government was closed July 3 because DeSantis gave state workers the day off for a 4-day holiday weekend. Among other things, circuit judges handle felony and juvenile cases and civil lawsuits worth $50,000 or more. A judicial nominating commission has already sent DeSantis six finalists: James A. Beville, an assistant state attorney based in Quincy. C. Ian Garland, a lawyer in the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the Florida Attorney General's Office. Jason Jones, a Leon County judge. Stefanie Newlin, another Leon County judge. Carlos Rey, general counsel for the Florida Senate. Steven Sellers, an attorney with Tallahassee's O'Steen & O'Steen law firm. 'The governor's failure to comply with this clear constitutional deadline is just another example of him flouting our Constitution's clear mandates," said Nicholas Warren, a staff attorney with the ACLU of Florida. "We're suing ... to make him do the job he was elected to do.' The 2nd Judicial Circuit, based in Tallahassee, includes Franklin, Gadsden, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty and Wakulla counties. According to the Office of the State Courts Administrator, as of the 2024-25 budget year, circuit judges were paid $196,898.04 per year. More: Florida Gov. DeSantis to appoint new circuit judge for Tallahassee-area court If you can't view the above document, click here. Information on the applicants comes from The Florida Bar and online searches. This story contains previously published material. Jim Rosica can be reached at jrosica@ Follow him on X: @JimRosicaFL. This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: DeSantis sued for delay in filling 2nd Judicial Circuit seat
CNN
19-05-2025
- Politics
- CNN
Trump considering former personal attorney Emil Bove for federal judgeship
President Donald Trump is considering nominating Emil Bove, his former personal attorney who currently holds a senior role at the Justice Department, as a federal appeals judge, a person familiar with the matter confirmed to CNN. Bove is under consideration for a vacancy on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit based in New Jersey. He's emerged as one of Trump's most trusted aides at the Justice Department who, as Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche's main principal, has been tasked with carrying out some of the administration's more controversial moves. It's not clear whether Trump has made a final decision. A White House spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment. CNN has reached out to Bove. If confirmed by the Senate, Bove would have a lifetime appointment. The New York Times first reported on Trump considering Bove for the judgeship. Bove was tapped hours after Trump was sworn in to assume one of the most powerful positions at the Justice Department – its number two spot, the interim deputy attorney general. He stayed in the job for weeks before the permanent nominee, Todd Blanche, who worked with Bove to defend Trump in his criminal cases, was confirmed by the Senate. In that short time, Bove quickly earned a reputation as Trump's hatchet man. His aggressive campaign began with immigration – he issued a memo just two days after Trump's inauguration that threatened to prosecute state and local officials who resist the administrations federal immigration crackdown. Bove then turned his attention to the FBI, ordering the firing of eight senior officials and demanding details on thousands of employees who worked on investigations related to the US Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021. But his most controversial move was when he and others submitted a filing to dismiss the corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams, sparking a wave of resignations from career prosecutors in the Southern District of New York and the Justice Department's public integrity section who said it amounted to a 'quid pro quo.' Bove eventually had to appear in court by himself to argue for the dismissal, which a judge granted. Before joining Trump's defense team when he was out of office, Bove worked in the US attorney's office for the Southern District of New York. As CNN has reported, Bove is also helping to lead a new Justice Department effort called the Weaponization Working Group that is tasked with examining current and former prosecutors and FBI employees. He's often seen inside the West Wing and typically works closely alongside Trump's top aides, including Stephen Miller, on immigration fights.
