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Attorneys for a third whistleblower with allegations against Emil Bove met with staff for Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, yesterday, with the lawyers providing a summation of their client’s complaint but not the underlying documents, Grassley’s office told NBC News.
The whistleblower approached Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., and his staff with the complaint, which is unrelated to the allegations being made by the first two whistleblowers, a source familiar with the matter said. The whistleblower shared documentation about a different prosecution at the Justice Department, and while the details of the allegations are not public, the source said they contradict Bove’s testimony during his confirmation hearing before the Judiciary Committee.
Trump nominated Bove to the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. His Senate confirmation vote could happen as soon as today. Grassley, when asked if the three whistleblowers would delay Bove’s confirmation vote, told NBC News, “No.”
Grassley’s office said that neither the committee’s top Democrat, Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin, nor Booker shared the whistleblower disclosure or any underlying evidence, and that Grassley’s staff was referred by Durbin’s staff to the whistleblower’s lawyers when they asked for additional information.
The existence of a third whistleblower with new allegations was first reported by The Washington Post.
Grassley’s office said it was made aware of reports of a third whistleblower Friday, and that it reached out to Justice Connection, which is representing the whistleblower, to request a meeting with their client and to review relevant evidence. Grassley’s office said they made themselves available to meet over the weekend, but that the meeting was not arranged until yesterday.
A spokesperson for Durbin said the whistleblower expressed a preference to engage directly with Republicans, adding in a statement: “Another whistleblower has come forward with evidence that raises serious concerns with Emil Bove’s misconduct. This is another damning indictment of a man who should never be a federal judge — and Senate Republicans will bear full responsibility for the consequences if they rubber stamp Mr. Bove’s nomination.”
Peter Carr, a former DOJ official who was fired by Trump and now serves as communications director for Justice Connection, put out a statement on the third whistleblower Friday, saying: “The whistleblower has tried to share this information with Republican senators for weeks and they have not provided any response. We urge the senators to hear from this whistleblower before the final vote on his nomination.”
Erez Reuveni, a former DOJ employee turned whistleblower, alleged last month that he and others were told to consider disregarding court orders a day before the Trump administration used the Alien Enemies Act to carry out deportations.
The White House has stood by Bove amid the whistleblower allegations.
