Leader Schumer Floor Remarks On The Nomination Of Trump Loyalist Emil Bove To Serve As A Judge On The 3rd Circuit Court
Washington, D.C. – Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today spoke on the Senate floor to oppose the nomination of Emil Bove to serve as a judge on the 3rd Circuit Court ahead of today’s procedural vote, citing his alarming history of ignoring court orders and misleading judges. Below are Senator Schumer’s remarks, which can also be viewed here:
Later today, Senate Republicans will hold the first procedural vote on one of Donald Trump’s nastiest judicial nominees to date: Emil Bove.
Mr. Bove is beyond unqualified and unworthy of the federal bench – he is an existential threat to the rule of law and our democracy as we know it.
Mr. Bove is as far from the mainstream as any judicial nominee we have considered in this chamber.
He is a Trump-ian henchman – the extreme of the extreme of the extreme.
He is openly hostile to the rule of law.
He is fundamentally opposed to democratic norms.
He lacks the temperament to serve as a jurist.
And above all, Mr. Bove is religiously obedient to Donald Trump. We all know that’s one of the only things that matters to the president – brazen, unyielding obedience to him, no matter how wrong he is, no matter what lies he tells.
Mr. Bove made a name for himself by cleaning up Donald Trump’s dirty laundry. That's what he did. He cleaned up Donald Trump's dirty laundry.
He’s a devout January 6th apologist, who defended Donald Trump as his personal attorney after he was charged with inciting the insurrection.
At the Justice Department, he wielded his power to fire prosecutors working on January 6th criminal cases and punish FBI agents –people who have dedicated their lives to our country and following the law. Mr. Bove tried to punish them because they stopped Donald Trump's insurrection.
So, instead of working to hold the January 6th rioters accountable, Mr. Bove sided with the rioters, who desecrated the building and violently attacked our police officers.
Imagine: Republicans supporting people who attacked police officers, all because Donald Trump incited an insurrection that he now lies about. Well, that's who Mr. Bove is.
And that’s not even all of it: while at the Justice Department, Mr. Bove also reportedly told DOJ lawyers to ignore court orders and even deliberately mislead judges.
That’s what he said. That's what he reportedly told DOJ lawyers – to ignore court orders and mislead judges. Can you believe that Republicans are trying to put this is guy on the bench? How low can our Republican colleagues go with their obeisance to Donald Trump? Even when so many of them – not all of them – know he’s wrong.
If there is even a shred of truth to these allegations, that alone is enough to disqualify Mr. Bove from ever holding federal office and a federal judgeship above all. But my Republican colleagues don’t seem to want to get to the facts.
Republicans are so afraid of Donald Trump – so willing to do whatever he says – that many of them are going along with Mr. Bove’s nomination without so much as a whisper of scrutiny.
All the signs are pointing toward Mr. Bove being a disastrous judge, who will take advantage of his power on the 3rd Circuit to settle scores and advance the Trump agenda.
So, Republicans have a decision to make.
If they still have any respect for the Senate as a check on the executive, if they still have any respect for our judiciary and the rule of law, then Republicans should join Democrats and vote no on Mr. Bove’s nomination.
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