Action 143 No Bove
Background: Emil Bove is an infamous Trump loyalist and personal lawyer (1) who Trump has seen fit to offer a lifetime judicial appointment to the Third Circuit Court of Appeals (2). This appointment requires Senate confirmation. A hearing was held before the Judiciary Committee (3) in which Bove denied making disqualifying statements that have been documented by a whistleblower (4). Neither of Maine’s Senators serves on the Judiciary Committee. But that doesn’t mean they are without influence, and in the end, they vote on the nominee. Among Bove’s disqualifications (5):
· Lied about telling DOJ staff to refuse to comply with court orders
· Has a documented history of bad leadership including uncontrolled anger and belittling
· Attempted to dismiss the public corruption case of NYC Mayor Eric Adams after Adams agreed to help with mass deportations
· Was a negligent supervisor when a staff member withheld exculpatory evidence
· Ordered January 6 prosecutors fired and was behind the firing of FBI agents
· Signed off on a memo to try to force state and local law enforcement to carry out Trump’s mass deportation plans
Action: Tell Senators King and Collins that we have had enough with Trump and his henchmen monkeying around with the independence of the Judiciary (which, you may recall, is supposed to be an independent, third branch of government providing important checks on the Legislative and Executive branches). We have seen what Trump loyalists have already done to our government. It’s time for Congress to stop the destruction by every means at their disposal, including not approving his dangerous appointments.
Contact:
Senator Susan Collins: Email: www.collins.senate.gov/contact/email-senator-collins/form
Phone: (202) 224-2523 (DC office), (207) 945-0417 (Bangor office)
Senator Angus King: Email www.king.senate.gov/contact
Phone: (202) 224-5344 (DC office), (207) 945-8000 (Bangor office)
Urgency: This is a simple phone call or message. Do it today or tomorrow if you can.
Extra Credit:
(1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emil_Bove
(2) The Third Circuit hears appeals from the federal district courts in Delaware, New Jersey, and the three federal districts of Pennsylvania (Eastern, Middle, and Western) as well as the District Court of the Virgin Islands. Question: could this be a stepping stone to a Supreme Court nomination?
(3) Watch the hearing: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/watch-live-trump-lawyer-emil-bove-faces-senate-confirmation-hearing-to-be-a-federal-judge
(4) https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/emile-bove-senate-hearing-trump-rcna215134
(5) https://joycevance.substack.com/p/how-to-talk-to-your-senators-about