Justice Dept. Leader Suggested Violating Court Orders, Whistle-Blower Says
Emil Bove III, a Trump judicial nominee, voiced his intent to disobey court orders as others stonewalled and misled judges, according to a complaint.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/24/us/politics/justice-department-emil-bove-trump-deportations-reuveni.html?unlocked_article_code=1.VU8.SyfF.YvHXJ729rf5s&smid=url-share (free link)
Some key excerpts:
Top officials at the Justice Department and the White House sought to defy federal court orders “through lack of candor, deliberate delay and disinformation.”
Mr. Reuveni’s account describes three instances in which senior Justice Department officials engaged in wrongdoing by ignoring court orders, presenting legal arguments with no basis in law, misrepresenting facts to the courts and, in one instance, directing him to misstate facts in violation of his “legal and ethical duties as an officer of the court.”
Mr. Bove “stressed to all in attendance that the planes needed to take off no matter what,” according to Mr. Reuveni’s account. Mr. Bove then broached “the possibility that a court order would enjoin those removals before they could be effectuated.”
“Bove stated that D.O.J. would need to consider telling the courts ‘fuck you’ and ignore any such order,” according to the account. “Mr. Reuveni perceived that others in the room looked stunned, and he observed awkward, nervous glances among people in the room. Silence overtook the room.”
Mr. Reuveni and others were “quickly ushered out of the room,” the account says. It continues, “Notwithstanding Bove’s directive, Mr. Reuveni left the meeting understanding that D.O.J. would tell D.H.S. to follow all court orders.”
As far as Mr. Reuveni knew, “no one in D.O.J. leadership — in any administration — had ever suggested the Department of Justice could blatantly ignore court orders, especially with” an expletive, his account states. “Mr. Reuveni was in disbelief.”