On Tuesday, the U.S. Senate confirmed Emil Bove, former personal lawyer of President Trump, as a federal judge, appointing him to serve a lifelong term in a crucial appellate court. Bove is currently serving as a senior official in the Department of Justice and has temporarily overseen the department’s work.
The Senate, controlled by the Republicans, confirmed Trump’s judicial nomination with a vote of 50-49 on Tuesday. Since Trump returned to the White House, Bove has been serving as a senior official in the Department of Justice and has now been approved by the Senate to serve as a lifelong judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit based in Philadelphia.
Two moderate Republican senators, along with all Democratic senators, voted against the confirmation, including Senators Lisa Murkowski from Alaska and Susan Collins from Maine.
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer commented after the vote that “Republicans confirmed a dangerous nominee.”
However, Republicans supported Bove, praising his experience as a federal anti-terrorism prosecutor in New York and his role as defense counsel in three criminal cases faced by Trump.
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman, Republican Chuck Grassley, stated on Tuesday, “I believe he will be a diligent, capable, and fair judge,” condemning the “vicious rhetoric and unfair accusations” used by Democrats.
With Bove’s confirmation, judges nominated and appointed by the Republican president now hold the majority of seats at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, which handles cases from New Jersey, Delaware, and Pennsylvania.
This former personal lawyer of Trump currently serves as the Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General, the third-highest official at the Department of Justice.
The Republican-led Senate has begun confirming the first batch of judicial nominees for Trump’s second term, leading to a trend of the federal courts shifting ideologically to the right. During his first term, Trump appointed a total of 234 conservative federal judges.
(Translated and rewritten from a report by Reuters)