N.J. Sen. Booker grills Trump’s choice to be a Philly-based federal judge: ‘What’s your red line?’

Grilling Emil Bove, President Donald Trump’s controversial pick for a federal appeals judgeship in Philadelphia, Sen. Cory Booker demanded to know, “What could the president ask you to do that you wouldn’t do?”

Booker (D., N.J.) quoted from various critics who have portrayed Bove — the Justice Department’s principal assistant deputy attorney general and Trump’s former personal attorney — as a “vindictive” and “reckless” prosecutor, as well as a “savage mafia henchman” who carried out Trump’s orders regardless of the rule of law.

Bove’s closely watched confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee came just a day after the release of a damaging whistleblower complaint in which a former government lawyer accused Bove of saying U.S. officials should consider defying court orders that would block deportations of alleged gang members who Trump wanted to deport.

“You told attorneys that it’s their job to implement the president’s agenda, and that there’s no room for dissent,” Booker scolded Bove.

At one point, the New Jersey senator pressed the judicial nominee: “What’s your red line?”

Bove didn’t answer immediately, but later said, “I’m not perfect. I take constructive criticism seriously.”

In calm, unwavering tones, Bove said he “categorically” rejected any claim of “unethical or improper behavior by me. Period.”

In contrast to Booker’s critique, Republican senators recited Bove’s resumé and complimented him on his accomplishments in the private and public legal sectors.

Sen. Ashley Moody (R., Fla.) praised Bove’s “professionalism” and “integrity,” calling him “an outstanding candidate for the court.”

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, the court to which Bove is nominated, handles cases from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. If confirmed by Congress, Bove would fill the New Jersey seat, according to senators at the three-hour hearing.

Bove’s nomination, announced last month, has been controversial and the whistleblower complaint has brought heightened scrutiny to his selection.

Bove allegedly said in a March Justice Department meeting that the department would need to consider telling the courts “f— you,” and to “ignore” any judicial orders that would prevent the administration from deporting alleged Venezuelan gang members.

The explosive information is contained in a letter written by Erez Reuveni, a 15-year DOJ lawyer who was fired in April after telling a federal judge that the Trump administration had deported an immigrant in error, according to National Public Radio.

Reuveni was sacked after saying in an April court hearing that Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran man living in Maryland, should not have been deported to a prison in El Salvador, CNN reported.

“Mr. Reuveni was stunned by Bove’s statement because, to Mr. Reuveni’s knowledge, no one in DOJ leadership — in any administration — had ever suggested the Department of Justice could blatantly ignore court orders, especially with” an expletive, Reuveni’s lawyers wrote, according to the New York Times, which was the first to report the whistleblower revelations.

At the Judiciary Committee hearing, Sen. Adam Schiff (D., Calif.) aggressively interrogated Bove about the account, repeatedly asking, “Did you tell the courts ‘f— you’ in any manner?”

“I don’t recall,” Bove said.

Democratic senators asked numerous questions about Bove signing a motion in February that allowed the Justice Department to move to dismiss corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams, which led seven federal prosecutors in New York and Washington to resign in protest.

The Adams dismissal, Democratic lawmakers alleged, was part of a quid pro quo that assured Adams’ cooperation with Trump administration efforts to deal with undocumented immigrants. Adams denied the allegation, as did Bove during the hearing.

“I want you to … look me in the eye … and swear to your higher being when you answer this question,“ asked Sen. John Kennedy (R., La.) from Louisiana. ”Did you make a political deal … to dismiss the charges against Mayor Adams?"

Without hesitating, Bove responded, “Absolutely not ... . I swear to my higher being and on every bone in my body.”

Earlier Wednesday, Sen. Andy Kim (D., N.J.), who is not on the committee, offered a prelude to his fellow New Jersey Democrat Booker’s criticisms in a post on X: “Bove’s only qualification is his loyalty to President Trump.”