The Senate Judiciary Committee is set to vote July 17 on the nominations for Emil Bove — President Donald Trump’s controversial judicial nominee for the Third Circuit — and Jeanine Pirro — the former Fox News host who Trump tapped to be U.S. attorney for D.C. — according to a committee aide granted anonymity to share not-yet-public schedule information.
Bove, who is principal associate deputy attorney general and served as Trump’s personal criminal defense attorney, has become the latest Trump nominee to face a mounting opposition campaign from Democrats, after a former Justice Department employee alleged that he suggested flouting court orders to allow the administration to pursue its aggressive deportation agenda.
Bove’s role in carrying out some other DOJ initiatives has also garnered scrutiny, including the dismissal of corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams and the firing of some DOJ staffers who worked on cases around the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
Trump nominated Pirro to be the U.S. attorney after he failed to rally enough support among the Senate GOP around his previous nominee, Ed Martin. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), a member of the Judiciary panel who has since announced he won’t seek reelection, said he would not support Martin because of his comments about the attacks on the Capitol and his defense of some rioters.
Pirro is currently serving as U.S. attorney for D.C. in an interim capacity.
