A few weeks ago, I outlined my concerns about Emil Bove’s nomination to the Third Circuit. I have had nothing to say about the nomination since then. In part that’s because there had been no further evidence that would substantiate or dispel my concerns about Bove’s character and integrity. In part it’s because I figured the stakes are small: If my concerns are unsound, Bove would probably be a decent or even good appellate judge. If my concerns are sound, it’s arguably better to have him out of DOJ and in a position where he would have little opportunity or incentive to act on his worst impulses.
But now there’s some new evidence.
Consider this new New York Times article, “Justice Dept. Leader Suggested Violating Court Orders, Whistle-Blower Says,” as well as this letter from the lawyers for whistleblower Erez Reuveni, who was selected by the Trump administration to be acting deputy director of DOJ’s Office of Immigration Litigation.
Here are excerpts from the article (emphasis added):
A senior Justice Department official, Emil Bove III, told subordinates he was willing to ignore court orders in order to fulfill the president’s aggressive deportation campaign, according to a whistle-blower complaint by a department lawyer who has since been fired….
A pivotal meeting occurred on March 14, when Mr. Bove, a senior official in the deputy attorney general’s office, spoke bluntly about the administration’s plans. He informed his subordinates that Mr. Trump would soon invoke...
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), an independent body that reviews scientific evidence to recommend which groups should receive vaccines and when, rarely makes headlines. Bu...