Latest news with #3rdU.S.CircuitCourtofAppeals
The Hill
11 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hill
Whistleblower says senior DOJ official expressed willingness to ignore court orders
A former Department of Justice (DOJ) employee alleges in a whistleblower complaint that Principal Assistant Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove made repeated attempts to willingly disobey or ignore court orders. Bove, who is now a judicial nominee for the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, was accused in the complaint of using a 'lack of candor, deliberate delay and disinformation' to violate injunctions against the Trump administration. The complaint, which was sent from the Government Accountability Project to Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) and the DOJ's inspector general, was first reported by the New York Times, Former government attorney Erez Reuveni alleges in the complaint that DOJ leaders in March and April planned to 'resist court orders' that would slow Trump administration efforts to deport people in the country illegally. In a meeting on March 14 about deporting alleged Venezuelan gang members under the Alien and Enemies Act, Bove, the complaint says, said 'stressed to all in attendance that the planes needed to take off no matter what.' In the face of legal challenges, he proposed the department tell the courts 'f— you,' and 'ignore' court orders blocking the Trump administration's attempted removal of these individuals. In the complaint, Reuveni cited three separate occasions where the DOJ attempted to undermine the rule of law by presenting legal arguments with 'no basis' while 'misrepresenting' facts presented before the court. Reuveni, the complaint says, tried to keep the DOJ's actions in compliance of the law 'and was thwarted, threatened, fired, and publicly disparaged for both doing his job and telling the truth to the court.' He was suspended and ultimately terminated from a 15-year stint at the DOJ in April after, in a hearing in the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, agreeing that the Maryland man was removed from the U.S. due to an 'administrative error' by the federal government. Bove, in his time at DOJ, ordered the dismissal of federal charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D-N.Y.) in his corruption case. Before Trump's election,he served as Trump's defense attorney when the leader was charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records. Trump administration officials responded to the allegation by saying Reuveni is a 'disgruntled employee' who issued false allegations about Bove to offset his Wednesday Senate confirmation hearing. 'Note that not a single individual except the disgruntled former employee agrees with the statements cavalierly printed by this purported news outlet,' Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche wrote in a Tuesday post on X. 'I was at the meeting described in the article and at no time did anyone suggest a court order should not be followed,' he added. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, shared heightened concerns about Bove's nomination to serve as a federal judge amid reporting on the complaint. 'These serious allegations, from a career Justice Department lawyer who defended the first Trump Administration's immigration policies, not only speak to Mr. Bove's failure to fulfill his ethical obligations as a lawyer, but demonstrate that his activities are part of a broader pattern by President Trump and his allies to undermine the Justice Department's commitment to the rule of law,' Durbin said in a statement. 'I want to thank Mr. Reuveni for exercising his right to speak up and bring accountability to Mr. Bove. And I implore my Senate Republican colleagues: do not turn a blind eye to the dire consequences of confirming Mr. Bove to a lifetime position as a circuit court judge.'
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Trump nominates Emil Bove as federal appeals judge
President Trump nominated Emil Bove, a top Justice Department official who previously worked as one of Trump's criminal defense attorneys, to a federal appeals court Wednesday. Trump announced Bove's nomination to the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals along with five district judge nominees in a series of Truth Social posts. 'Emil is SMART, TOUGH, and respected by everyone. He will end the Weaponization of Justice, restore the Rule of Law, and do anything else that is necessary to, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN,' Trump wrote on Truth Social. 'Emil Bove will never let you down,' he continued. The 3rd Circuit hears appeals arising from federal district courts in Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and the Virgin Islands. Bove and the other nominees must be confirmed by the Senate before assuming the role. A graduate of Georgetown Law, Bove is a former federal prosecutor in New York City who at one point led the office's terrorism and international narcotics unit. After Trump was indicted on 34 counts of falsifying business records in New York stemming from a hush money deal with a porn actor, Bove entered the then-candidate's orbit in 2023 as one of his criminal defense attorneys. Bove worked alongside Todd Blanche to represent Trump at the blockbuster trial, which culminated one year ago this week in the first criminal conviction of a former president. Bove also represented Trump in his two federal prosecutions brought by special counsel Jack Smith, which concerned Trump's retention of classified documents and his efforts to overturn the 2020 election. The cases were dismissed upon Trump winning the election. After Trump took office, Bove briefly served as the Justice Department's acting No. 2 official until Blanche was confirmed by the Senate. Ever since, Bove has worked as Blanche's deputy. The New York Times reported earlier that Bove was being considered for the judgeship. Bove's nomination comes weeks after Trump announced his first round of judicial nominees since retaking the White House. Trump on Wednesday announced the next wave, which also includes five new nominees to fill federal district court vacancies in Artau, a state appeals judge, was nominated to a judgeship in the Southern District of Florida. Earlier this year, Artau was part of a unanimous panel that allowed Trump to proceed with his defamation case against Pulitzer Prize Board members. Artau issued a lengthy, solo concurrence calling on the Supreme Court to overturn its precedent that sets a high bar for defamation suits against public also named four nominees to serve in the Southern District of Florida. He nominated state judges Jordan Pratt and Anne-Leigh Gaylord Moe, Florida Chief Deputy Attorney General John Guard and U.S. Magistrate Judge Kyle Dudek. Updated: 5:28 p.m. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Boston Globe
28-05-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Ex-Trump defense lawyer Emil Bove, a top Justice Department official, is picked to be federal judge
Advertisement He also moved aggressively to align the department with Trump's agenda around immigration and other matters, ordering federal prosecutors to investigate for potential criminal prosecution state or local officials who are believed to be interfering with the Republican administration's immigration crackdown. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Trump picked Bove to fill a vacancy on the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which hears cases from Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The nomination, which is subject to Senate confirmation, comes just months into Bove's contentious tenure at the department. 'Emil is SMART, TOUGH, and respected by everyone,' Trump said in a social media post announcing the nomination. 'He will end the Weaponization of Justice, restore the Rule of Law, and do anything else that is necessary to, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN. Emil Bove will never let you down!' Advertisement When Todd Blanche, another former criminal defense attorney for Trump, was sworn in as deputy attorney general, Bove became Blanche's top adviser, serving as the principal associate deputy attorney general. Bove, a former federal prosecutor in the Southern District of New York, was on the defense team during Trump's New York hush money trial and defended Trump in the federal criminal cases brought by the Justice Department. The Justice Department abandoned Trump's federal 2020 election interference case and the classified documents case after Trump won the election in November. Bove's order to dismiss the Adams case roiled the department. Manhattan's top federal prosecutor, Danielle Sassoon, and several high-ranking department officials resigned rather than carrying out Bove's order. In remarkable departure from long-standing department norms, Bove said the case should be dropped because it was interfering with the mayor's ability to aid the president's crackdown on illegal immigration. Bove clerked for two federal judges appointed by President George W. Bush, a Republican. He then spent nine years at the U.S. attorney's office in Manhattan where he specialized in prosecuting drug kingpins and alleged terrorists. He was involved in multiple high-profile prosecutions, including a drug-trafficking case against the former Honduran president's brother, a man who set off a pressure cooker device in Manhattan and a man who sent dozens of mail bombs to prominent targets across the country. Bove's actions at the New York office, however, rankled some fellow prosecutors and defense attorneys. In 2018, the federal public defender's office compiled complaints about his behavior from defense attorneys and sent them to two top officials in the U.S. attorney's office. About 18 months after the email was sent, Bove was promoted to be co-chief of the office's national security and international narcotics unit. Advertisement
The Hill
28-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Trump nominates Emil Bove as federal appeals judge
President Trump nominated Emil Bove, a top Justice Department official who previously worked as one of Trump's criminal defense attorneys, to a federal appeals court on Wednesday. Trump announced Bove's nomination to the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in a post on Truth Social, calling it a 'great honor.' 'Emil is SMART, TOUGH, and respected by everyone. He will end the Weaponization of Justice, restore the Rule of Law, and do anything else that is necessary to, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN,' Trump wrote on Truth Social. 'Emil Bove will never let you down,' Trump added. The 3rd Circuit hears appeals arising from federal district courts in Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and the Virgin Islands. Bove must be confirmed by the Senate before assuming the role. A graduate of Georgetown Law, Bove is a former federal prosecutor in New York City who at one point led the office's terrorism and international narcotics unit. After the president was indicted on 34 counts of falsifying business records in New York stemming from a hush money deal with a porn actress, Bove entered Trump's orbit in 2023 as one of his criminal defense attorneys. Bove worked alongside Todd Blanche to represent Trump at the blockbuster trial, which culminated one year ago this week in the first criminal conviction of a former president. Bove also represented Trump in his two federal prosecutions brought by special counsel Jack Smith, which concerned Trump's retention of classified documents and his efforts following the 2020 election. The cases were dismissed upon Trump winning the election. After Trump took office, Bove briefly served as the Justice Department's acting No. 2 official until Blanche was confirmed by the Senate. Ever since, Bove has worked as Blanche's deputy. The New York Times reported earlier that Bove was being considered for the judgeship. Bove's nomination comes weeks after Trump announced his first round of judicial nominees since retaking the White House.
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Alina Habba says she's investigating New Jersey governor, AG over immigration enforcement
Interim U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Alina Habba announced late Thursday that her office is investigating Gov. Phil Murphy and state Attorney General Matt Platkin for not cooperating with federal immigration authorities. The investigation into the two New Jersey Democrats underscores the Trump administration's hard-line immigration enforcement efforts. Habba made the announcement in an interview with Sean Hannity on Fox News. 'I want it to be a warning for everybody: that I have instructed my office today to open an investigation into Gov. Murphy, to open an investigation into Attorney General Platkin, who has also instructed the State Police not to assist any of our federal … agencies that are under my direction,' Habba said. Murphy's office declined to comment. '[U.S. Attorney General] Pam Bondi has made it clear and so has our president that we are to take all criminal[s] — violent criminals and criminals — out of this country and to completely enforce federal law,' Habba said. 'And anybody who does get in that way, in the way of what we are doing, which is not political, it is simply against crime, will be charged in the state of New Jersey for obstruction, for concealment, and I will come after them hard.' In a Friday press conference about dozens of charges made in an illegal gambling operation, Platkin said that the Immigrant Trust Directive is 'settled law' and has been 'upheld by judges appointed by President Trump.' He pointed to the gambling investigation as an example of 'strong partnerships we have across federal, state and local law enforcement.' 'I don't typically launch investigations on cable news networks,' Platkin said. 'I'm focused on doing my job, which is to keep the residents of our state safe." He add that Habba "said publicly she wants to politicize the office. I hope she starts doing her job.' Platkin also said that he has 'reached out in multiple ways' since Habba stepped into the role, and 'she has not wanted to have a conversation.' The investigation against Murphy and Platkin comes as conservative media outlets reported on a memo from State Police Superintendent Col. Patrick Callahan which reminded New Jersey law enforcement that the state's 2018 Immigrant Trust Directive limits state and local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration authorities. Under the directive, state and local police cannot participate in federal immigration enforcement operations or keep someone detained only to comply with a civil immigration detainer request. The directive includes exemptions if the immigrant is charged or convicted with a 'violent or serious offense' or subject to a final order of removal by a judge. The 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in 2021 upheld a lower court's decision that the directive was not preempted by federal law. The directive is colloquially referred to as New Jersey's 'sanctuary state' policy. Proponents of the directive say that limiting state and local police from participating in immigration enforcement helps public safety since immigrants will be more forthcoming with law enforcement. 'These new rules are designed to draw a clear distinction between local police and federal civil immigration authorities, ensuring that victims and witnesses feel safe reporting crimes to New Jersey's law enforcement officers,' former Attorney General Gurbir Grewal said when the directive was first announced. 'No law-abiding resident of this great state should live in fear that a routine traffic stop by local police will result in his or her deportation from this country.' Murphy said during his first campaign for governor that he would make New Jersey a 'sanctuary' state and told reporters in February that the directive 'worked really well.' It's not the first time Murphy has been targeted by conservatives over immigration. Under Murphy, the state now issues driver's licenses to undocumented immigrants and provided cash assistance during the pandemic with undocumented immigrants cut out from federal Covid-19 aid. Earlier this year, Murphy suggested that he might harbor an immigrant at his home and dared federal authorities to come get them — which Trump's border czar called 'foolish.' The governor was viewed as having a cordial relationship with the president. Murphy met with him in New Jersey after the assassination attempt on Trump. The Trump administration is also expanding its immigrant detention capacity in New Jersey, trying to open its first new ICE detention center in Newark. Mayor Ras Baraka, a Democrat running for governor, is suing to stop the center from opening — claiming it does not have the proper permits to operate. Most Democrats seeking to succeed Murphy, who leaves office next year, have pledged to either keep the directive in place or support legislation that would write it into state law and eliminate exemptions. One Democrat running for governor, former Senate President Steve Sweeney, has vowed to repeal the directive if elected. Republicans are unified in their opposition to the directive. Jack Ciattarelli, who is making his third bid for governor, obtained a copy of Callahan's memo earlier this week and announced it in a press release.
