Statement on Senate Republicans’ Violation Of Committee Rules In Trying to Silence Emil Bove Whistleblower And Advance Bove’s Nomination

Today, the Senate Judiciary Committee attempted to vote through another slate of President Donald Trump’s extreme judicial nominees, including his former defense attorney Emil Bove, apparently in violation of committee rules. As Senate Democrats voiced their concern with Bove’s nomination and the obvious ethical concerns it raises, Chairman Chuck Grassley shut down debate, an ironic change of tune for the chairman, who has previously vowed to protect whistleblowers. Senate Democrats then walked out. Nevertheless, Chairman Grassley proceeded with the vote although committee rules require the presence of at least two Members of the minority in order to transact business. In response, Accountable.US President Caroline Ciccone issued the following statement:

“Chairman Grassley and Senate Judiciary Committee Republicans just shamefully disregarded our democratic process in an attempt to ram through Trump’s judicial nominees. They tried to silence a government whistleblower who raised serious concerns about Emil Bove and his ability to rule impartially. Bove is an extreme ideologue, and his lifetime appointment sets the stage for the President and his allies to seek out favorable rulings no matter how unconstitutional their actions. It’s reprehensible that Senate Republicans silenced a basic acknowledgement of the facts, in order to jam through judicial appointments who will be a rubber stamp for Trump’s out-of-touch agenda.”

Last week, an Accountable.US research report revealed that Bove has not committed to key recusals ahead of his nomination hearing. In a nomination form, Bove pledged to recuse himself from “situations that present actual conflicts of interest based on my current or prior positions at the Department of Justice” – but Bove has so far refrained from preemptively recusing himself from any future case involving his former client and current boss, Donald Trump. By comparison, another one of Trump’s current judicial nominees, Anne-Leigh Gaylord Moe, pledged to recuse herself from any case involving her family or companies owned by her husband.