Trump’s Former Lawyer Emil Bove Confirmed as Federal Judge in Narrow Senate Vote

The U.S. Senate on Tuesday confirmed Emil Bove, former personal attorney to President Donald Trump, to a lifetime seat on the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia. The 50-49 vote, split largely along party lines, solidifies Republican influence on a court overseeing cases from New Jersey, Delaware, and Pennsylvania.

Bove’s confirmation followed intense opposition from Democrats, who criticized his role in controversial Justice Department decisions during Trump’s presidency. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) joined Democrats in voting against him. More than 900 former Justice Department employees publicly accused Bove of undermining the department’s integrity.

A career federal terrorism prosecutor, Bove defended Trump in multiple criminal cases and was praised by Republicans for his legal expertise. Senator Chuck Grassley called him “capable and fair,” denouncing what he described as partisan attacks.

Critics, however, point to whistleblower allegations claiming Bove suggested ignoring court rulings on migrant deportations and improperly intervened to drop a corruption case against New York Mayor Eric Adams ahead of his re-election campaign. Bove denied both accusations, saying the decisions were legally justified.

This marks Trump’s first wave of judicial appointments in his second term, building on his previous 234 appointments that shifted the federal judiciary to the right. The Senate is also reviewing Trump’s nomination of White House lawyer Jennifer Mascott to the same appeals court.

Bove’s confirmation underscores the ongoing partisan battles over federal judicial appointments and their long-term impact on U.S. legal and political landscapes.