A former employee of the Department of Justice (DOJ), Erez Lubbeni, has raised serious accusations against Emil Bove, an assistant principal attorney general and current candidate for the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Lubbeni’s whistleblower complaints allege that Bove has repeatedly attempted to circumvent or disregard court orders.
The allegations, which were reported by the New York Times, suggest Bove has engaged in “candid, intentional delays and misinformation” to violate an injunction placed against the Trump administration. These complaints were directed to key figures including Sen. Chuck Grassley and Rep. Jamie Raskin, as well as DOJ inspectors.
Lubbeni claims that in March and April, Bove planned to “resist a court order” in order to hinder the Trump administration’s actions regarding the deportation of undocumented individuals.
During a March 14 meeting focused on deporting Venezuelan gang members under alien enemy law, Bove reportedly stressed to attendees that “no matter what the plane is, they need to take off.” He allegedly suggested that the DOJ might intentionally “ignore” legal orders to prevent the removal of these individuals.
The complaint states that Bove misrepresented facts to undermine the rule of law, with Lubbeni asserting that he attempted to uphold the DOJ’s adherence to legal standards.
Lubbeni faced suspension during a case involving Kilmer Abrego Garcia and eventually departed from the DOJ after a 15-year tenure.
Throughout his career, Bove was involved in various significant cases, including dropping federal charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams in a corruption matter. He also served as an attorney for Trump prior to Trump’s election, particularly regarding a case involving counterfeit business records.
In response to these allegations, Trump administration officials have labeled Lubbeni a “disgruntled employee,” claiming he fabricated accusations about Bove in an attempt to influence the upcoming Senate confirmation hearing.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche noted, “Aside from disgruntled former employees, we agree with the assessment that there’s dissatisfaction with this alleged news outlet.” He also indicated he attended the meeting in question, emphasizing that no one suggested ignoring court orders.
Sen. Dick Durbin expressed increasing concern regarding Bove’s potential appointment as a federal judge, emphasizing the serious nature of the allegations. He noted that these accusations from seasoned justice attorneys reveal a failure on Bove’s part to meet his ethical obligations and are reflective of a broader pattern of undermining the DOJ’s commitment to the rule of law.
Durbin thanked Lubbeni for coming forward and urged his Senate Republican colleagues to consider the potential negative consequences of confirming Bove to a lifetime position.
