Leader Schumer Floor Remarks On The Deeply Compromised Nomination Of Emil Bove To Serve As A Judge On The 3rd Circuit

Washington, D.C. – Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today spoke to condemn Senate Republicans for voting Emil Bove, an extremely partisan and highly unqualified nominee, out of the Senate Judiciary Committee without debate. Below are Senator Schumer’s remarks, which can also be viewed here:

Last week, Senate Republicans on the Judiciary Committee reported out one of Donald Trump’s worst judicial nominees yet: Emil Bove. And that’s saying a lot, because there are so many bad ones.

Judiciary Republicans were so afraid to talk about Mr. Bove’s nomination that, in fact, the Republican Chair cut off debate time and refused to let all Democrats speak. And rather than be part of this farce, Judiciary Democrats, led by my friend, the Ranking Member, Senator Durbin, rightly walked out of the hearing.

I commend my Democratic colleagues for standing up for the integrity of our courts, and for refusing to participate in a compromised committee process for a deeply compromised nominee.

It is obvious why the Republicans were so eager to cut off debate – they know the arguments against Mr. Bove are telling and so unworthy of anyone nominated to a court of appeals or any judicial position in this government.

Mr. Bove is the perfect example of the type of person Donald Trump wants on the bench: political, aggressive, unprofessional, abusive, and ready and willing to put the Trump agenda over the rule of law.

We all know what Donald Trump wants from judges: complete obeisance to whatever he wants, regardless of the rule of law, regardless of precedent, and regardless of the Constitution.

Mr. Bove has a long history of defending Donald Trump as his personal attorney.

He defended the president when the president was accused of inciting the January 6th insurrection, mishandling classified documents, falsifying business records, and more.

His defense of Trump’s indefensible actions earned him a top spot at the DOJ, where he used his power to fire prosecutors who were working on criminal cases for the January 6th insurrectionists. That’s right: Mr. Bove helped the rioters who assaulted law enforcement officers on January 6th get off without any charges.

What is happening to this country? What is happening?

And if that’s not enough to disqualify him, one whistleblower testified that Mr. Bove repeatedly told DOJ lawyers to ignore court orders and even deliberately mislead judges.

Mr. Bove encouraged officials not to tell judges the truth – the same sort of judges he is now nominated to serve alongside.

How can someone who has such disregard for our judges and our courts be trusted on the bench?

Mr. Bove’s nomination previews the dark, ominous plan that Donald Trump and Republicans have for the federal judiciary: they want to fill our courts with partisan operatives who will protect and serve Donald Trump, not protect the rule of law.

Experience doesn’t matter.

Judicial independence doesn’t matter.

Understanding the law and applying it without fear or favor doesn’t matter at all. In fact, there’s fear of Donald Trump among so many of the Republican nominees for judge, and among so many of our Republican senators.

For Donald Trump, the only thing that matters when it comes to judges is unyielding fealty to him.

We have never seen such a disastrous mandate for our federal courts in American history, and if Republicans proceed, the damage to our judiciary will be irreversible.

Mr. Bove’s nomination is an insult to every single qualified, independent judge who has ever sat on our federal courts.

He should never have been nominated. He should never have been reported out of committee. And he should never – never – be confirmed by the Senate to such an important job.

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