In a razor-thin vote late Tuesday, the Senate confirmed Emil Bove—a staunch Trump ally and former deputy attorney general—to a lifetime seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. The vote was 50 to 49. Every Democrat voted against him. Two Republicans, Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Susan Collins (R-ME), also said no. Only Republicans pushed him through. Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-TN) was absent.
Bove, once central to Trump’s legal defense in several major cases, including the classified documents scandal, election obstruction, and the New York hush-money trial, has been under heavy fire.
More than 75 former judges and over 900 former Justice Department attorneys demanded the Senate block his confirmation. The backlash wasn’t just political—it was personal. Three whistleblowers stepped forward. Two publicly accused Bove of telling officials to ignore court orders and then lying about it.
The concerns weren’t minor. Former federal prosecutor Jane Connors said, “The idea that someone with this record would be rewarded with a lifetime seat is chilling.”
NBC’s Sahil Kapur reported the final tally and emphasized how close it was. “Bove was confirmed by a narrow 50-49 vote,” he wrote.
Despite the outrage and serious allegations, Bove now holds a lifetime position on one of the nation’s most powerful courts.
