Overview

• On May 28, President Trump tapped Emil Bove—his former defense lawyer and current principal associate deputy attorney general—for a lifetime seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.
• Bove’s tenure at the Justice Department included ordering prosecutors to abandon federal corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams, prompting several resignations.
• Democratic senators filed misconduct complaints accusing Bove of abusing his DOJ authority to negotiate political concessions in exchange for dropping charges.
• Judiciary Committee Democrats, led by Sen. Dick Durbin, have vowed to rigorously probe Bove’s record when his confirmation hearing is scheduled.
• Bove’s close ties to Trump’s legal defense team and his role in reshaping DOJ personnel have intensified concerns over judicial impartiality.