WASHINGTON, D. C. — 76 former federal and state judges from across the country sent a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee today calling on senators to oppose the nomination of Emil Bove to serve a lifetime appointment to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.

The judges cite serious legal, ethical, and professional concerns, writing, “Mr. Bove’s egregious record of mistreating law enforcement officers, abusing power, and disregarding the law itself disqualifies him for this position.”

The judges highlight his role in targeting FBI agents and Department of Justice prosecutors who investigated the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol; outline his alleged interference in a DOJ bribery investigation involving New York Mayor Eric Adams; and condemn his overall pattern of protecting well-connected political allies rather than upholding the rule of law.

“Proceeding with this nomination, particularly in the face of credible and sworn allegations from a nonpartisan DOJ attorney that Mr. Bove violated court orders and instructed public servants to act unlawfully, would be a disservice to the constitution, to law enforcement, and to the rule of law. We strongly oppose the Bove nomination,” the letter states.

The full text of the letter and list of signing judges is at this link and below. The letter is supported by the Society for the Rule of Law and Democracy Defenders Action.

Judge Nancy Gertner, U.S. District Judge, District of Massachusetts (Ret.)

Judge Michael Luttig, U.S. Circuit Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit (Ret.)

Judge Verna A. Adams, Marin County Superior Court, California (Ret.)

Judge Elaine Andrews, Alaska Superior Court (Ret.)

Judge Paul A. Bastine, Spokane County Superior Court, Washington (Ret.)

Chief Justice Michael L. Bender, Colorado Supreme Court (Ret.)

Associate Justice Margot Botsford, Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (Ret.)

Associate Justice Bobbe J. Bridge, Washington Supreme Court (Ret.)

Judge Patrick A. Cathcart, Los Angeles County Superior Court, California (Ret.)

Judge Robert J. Cindrich, U.S. District Judge, Western District of Pennsylvania (Ret.)

Judge Susan E. Cox, U.S. Magistrate Judge, Northern District of Illinois (Ret.)

Associate Justice Patricia Cotter, Montana Supreme Court (Ret.)

Judge Ronald E. Culpepper, Pierce County Superior Court, Washington (Ret.)

Judge Beverly W. Cutler, Alaska Superior Court, 3rd Judicial District (Ret.)

Judge James Dannenberg, Hawaii State District Court (Ret.)

Justice Mary McGowan Davis, New York State Supreme Court (Ret.)

Judge Morton Denlow, U.S. Magistrate Judge, Northern District of Illinois (Ret.)

Judge David K. Duncan, U.S. Magistrate Judge, District of Arizona (Ret.)

Judge Sally Duncan, Maricopa County Superior Court (Ret.)

Justice Mark Dwyer, New York State Supreme Court (Ret.)

Judge Gary A. Feess, U.S. District Judge, Central District of California (Ret.)

Chief Judge Sheila M. Finnegan, U.S. Magistrate Judge, Northern District of Illinois (Ret.)

Judge Noel Fidel, Arizona Court of Appeals (Ret.)

Justice Helen Freedman, New York Supreme Court (Ret.)

Justice Emily Jane Goodman, New York State Supreme Court (Ret.)

Judge Steven M. Gold, U.S. Magistrate Judge, Eastern District of New York (Ret.)

Chief Justice Mark V. Green, Massachusetts Appeals Court (Ret.)

Associate Justice Karen F. Green, Massachusetts Superior Court (Ret.)

Judge Helen Halpert, King County Superior Court, Washington (Ret.)

Associate Judge Brook Hedge, Supreme Court of the District of Columbia (Ret.)

Judge James Hely, Union County Superior Court, New Jersey (Ret.)

Judge Thelton Henderson, U.S. District Judge, Northern District of California (Ret.)

Associate Justice Geraldine Hines, Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (Ret.)

Judge Richard J. Holwell, U.S. District Judge, Southern District of New York (Ret.)

Judge Barbara Jaffe, New York State Supreme Court (Ret.)

Chief Judge John Jones, U.S. District Judge, Middle District of Pennsylvania (Ret.)

Associate Judge Anne Keary, D.C. Superior Court (Ret.)

Judge Steven J. Kleifield, Los Angeles Superior Court, California (Ret.)

Judge Michael S. Kupersmith, Vermont Superior Court (Ret.)

Associate Justice Barbara A. Lenk, Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (Ret.)

Judge Lowell Jensen, U.S. District Judge, Northern District of California (Ret.)

Judge John P. Leopold, Colorado District Court (Ret.)

Judge Timothy K. Lewis, U.S. Circuit Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit (Ret.)

Judge Keith Levy, Alaska First District Court (Ret.)

Judge Barbara Mack, King County Superior Court, Washington (Ret.)

Judge Patrick J. Mahoney, San Francisco Superior Court, California (Ret.)

Judge John S. Martin, U.S. District Judge, Southern District of New York (Ret.)

Judge Victoria S. Marks, Hawaii First Circuit Court (Ret.)

Judge A. Howard Matz, U.S. District Judge, Central District of California (Ret.)

Judge Roanne L. Mann, U.S. Magistrate Judge, Eastern District of New York (Ret.)

Associate Justice James F. McHugh, Massachusetts Appeals Court (Ret.)

Judge Kevin McKenney, Santa Clara County Superior and Municipal Courts, California (Ret.)

Judge Michael Melly, Clallam County Superior Court, Washington (Ret.)

Chief Judge Paul Michel, U.S. Circuit Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (Ret.)

Judge Peggy J. Nelson, 8th Judicial District Court of New Mexico (Ret.)

Associate Justice James C. Nelson, Montana Supreme Court (Ret.)

Associate Judge Rita M. Novak, Cook County Circuit Court, Illinois (Ret.)

Senior Judge, Liam O'Grady, U.S. District Judge, Eastern District of Virginia (Ret.)

Judge Stephen M. Orlofsky, U.S. District Judge, District of New Jersey (Ret.)

Judge Brian Owsley, U.S. Magistrate Judge, Southern District of Texas (Ret.)

Judge Jeffrey M. Ramsdell, King County Superior Court, Washington (Ret.)

Justice Rosalyn Richter, New York State Court Appellate Division, First Department (Ret.)

Judge Palmer Robinson, King County Superior Court, Washington (Ret.)

Judge David A. Rosen, Los Angeles Superior Court, California (Ret.)

Judge John Romero, 2nd Judicial District Court, New Mexico (Ret.)

Judge Shira A. Scheindlin, U.S. District Judge, Southern District of New York (Ret.)

Judge Barry C. Schneider, Maricopa County Superior Court (Ret.)

Judge Michael Spearman, Washington State Court of Appeals (Ret.)

Judge Fern M. Smith, U.S. District Judge, Northern District of California (Ret.)

Associate Justice Sheila Sonenshine, California Court of Appeals (Ret.)

Judge Merri Souther Wyatt, Oregon Circuit Court, Multnomah County (Ret.)

Chief Justice Marsha Ternus, Iowa Supreme Court (Ret.)

Judge Michael J. Trickey, Washington State Superior Court and Court of Appeals (Ret.)

Judge Thomas I. Vanaskie, U.S. Circuit Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit (Ret.)

Judge John P. Wesley, Vermont Superior Court Judge (Ret.)

Judge Patricia Whalen, Vermont Family Court (Ret.)

Judge Jeffrey K. Winikow, Los Angeles Superior Court, California (Ret.)