On Thursday, tensions rose in the Senate Judiciary Committee during a hearing to advance Emil Bove, a nominee for the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, who was selected by former President Donald Trump. The situation escalated when Democratic senators walked out of the hearing, objecting to the vote moving forward.
The conflict began when Senate Democrats asked the committee to delay the vote. They wanted time to allow Erez Reuveni, a former Department of Justice (DOJ) official who had been dismissed from his position, to testify about concerns involving Bove.
Democrats referred to a 27-page letter submitted to the committee by Reuveni’s attorneys. In the letter, Reuveni claimed that during a mid-March meeting, Emil Bove, who was at the time the principal associate deputy attorney general, made a controversial statement regarding how the DOJ might respond to court rulings that blocked immigration actions under the Trump administration.
According to the complaint: “Bove stated that DOJ would need to consider telling the courts ‘fuck you’ and ignore any such court order,” Reuveni’s attorneys wrote. “Mr. Reuveni was stunned by Bove’s statement because, to Mr. Reuveni’s knowledge, no one in DOJ leadership — in any Administration — had ever suggested the Department of Justice could blatantly ignore court orders, especially with a ‘fuck you.’”
The Judiciary Committee, chaired by Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), declined the request to delay the vote. Grassley said the committee would proceed as planned, prompting a strong reaction from several Democratic senators.
Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) spoke loudly in opposition to the decision during the meeting. He expressed frustration at the refusal to allow Reuveni’s testimony before voting on Bove.
“This lacks decency! It lacks decorum! It shows that you do not want to simply hear from your colleagues! This is us simply trying to rush through one of the most controversial nominees we’ve had under this presidential administration!” Booker said during the hearing.
Shortly after Booker’s comments, Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI) and other Democratic members stood up and left the room in protest. As they exited, Booker continued speaking as the committee began voting on Bove’s nomination and another nominee, Jeanine Pirro.
Booker also accused the chairman of ignoring proper conduct during the meeting: “You’re listening to Trump,” Booker said, criticizing the pace and tone of the vote.
Despite the protest, the vote went forward. Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC), considered a possible swing vote, supported the nomination. With enough support from Republicans, Bove’s nomination was successfully advanced out of the committee and now heads to the full Senate for a confirmation vote.
Chairman Grassley responded to the walkout by comparing it to previous situations in which Democrats had moved forward with votes despite Republican objections.
“What happened here today is no different than when Democrats cut off debate on Judge Kasubhai and Judge Lee against Republican protest to continue debate,” Grassley said.
No final decision has been made yet about Bove’s appointment. His nomination must now be considered by the full Senate. As of now, neither Bove nor Reuveni has made public statements regarding the claims or the events at the hearing.
This incident highlights ongoing disagreements over judicial nominations and how they are handled in the Senate, especially in cases involving political appointees and controversial statements.
