A dramatic showdown unfolded Thursday in the Senate Judiciary Committee as Democratic senators staged a walkout moments before a contentious vote to advance President Trump’s judicial nominee, Emil Bove—a former DOJ official and Trump’s attorney—to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.
The walkout followed a heated exchange between Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA), with Booker invoking Rule 4 to delay the vote and demand discussion of allegations against Bove raised in a whistleblower report by former DOJ attorney Erez Reuveni. Grassley declined to grant more time, prompting Booker to erupt, “Dear God… that’s what we are here for,” before he and his Democratic colleagues exited the chamber.
Democrats decried the move as a procedural breach and a rejection of institutional norms. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) quoted Shakespeare, declaring, “There’s something rotten in Denmark,” to underscore the gravity of their objections. More than 200 former prosecutors and dozens of ex-judges have urged the Senate to reject Bove’s nomination, citing concerns over judicial independence and past conduct.
After the walkout, the panel proceeded with a party-line vote, advancing Bove’s nomination despite the unresolved whistleblower claims. Speaking to reporters, Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) condemned the process as a “blatant violation” of Senate rules, warning that it sets a dangerous precedent for judicial confirmations.
Chairman Grassley dismissed the criticism, pointing to similar actions by Democrats in 2023 when they advanced Biden nominees over GOP objections. “What we did is not unprecedented,” Grassley said. “We have to move things along.”
As Bove’s nomination heads to the full Senate, the controversy underscores deepening divisions over lifetime judicial appointments. It raises critical questions about the politicization of the federal bench in an already polarized era.
