President Donald Trump is set to reward one of his most loyal utility men with a lifetime position, figures familiar with the matter have told The New York Times.
Trump is said to be lining up a nomination for former federal prosecutor Emil Bove III to become a federal appeals judge.
Bove, one of Trump’s criminal lawyers until his client appointed him acting deputy attorney general, has emerged as a “top contender” for the lifetime appointment, the Times reports.
He could fill a vacant position on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. This covers Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware.
There are two vacancies, in New Jersey and Delaware, but the Times reports that it isn’t known which Bove is being tipped for.
Bove, who worked on the Stormy Daniels hush-money case, is number two to Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, another of Trump’s criminal lawyers in that courtroom drama.
Bove initially held that post on an interim basis before Blanche was confirmed for the role in March.
The Times calls Bove’s new position, principal associate deputy attorney general, “deceptively modest.” He has been at the center of Trump 2.0 since day one, as his position did not require Senate confirmation.
He would, however, face a Senate confirmation process if he were nominated for a federal appeals judge post. This would give Democrats an opportunity to grill him on some of the Justice Department’s most high-profile decisions of Trump 2.0.
This would no doubt include the White House’s rush to deport migrants to a mega-prison complex in El Salvador in March.
That is when three planes of alleged gang members were flown to the country despite District Judge James Boasberg ruling mid-flight that their removals, justified by the Trump administration using the Alien Enemies Act, should be temporarily barred and the planes turned around.
None of these people have returned to the U.S. and the removal of migrants without due process has been one of the main talking points of Trump’s second term.
He also oversaw the Justice Department’s effort to investigate local officials who were seen to be obstructing immigration enforcement. In January, he sent a threatening memo to all department employees, saying that officials would “investigate incidents involving any such misconduct for potential prosecution.”
Bove went on to pressure officials to drop bribery charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
People in Bove’s orbit told the Times that he has long feted a position as a federal judge.
The White House has been contacted for comment.
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