Durbin, Senate Judiciary Democrats File Misconduct Complaint Against Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove With New York State Bar
Requesting a disciplinary investigation into Bove, SJC Dems cite inappropriate conduct by Bove involving the dismissal of charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, led all Senate Judiciary Democrats in filing a professional misconduct complaint against Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove with the New York State Bar.
In a letter to the Attorney Grievance Committee of the First Judicial Department in New York, which handles complaints against lawyers whose offices are in Manhattan or the Bronx, the Senators cite reported inappropriate conduct by Bove involving the dismissal of charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
The Senators begin by expressing grave concern about actions taken by Bove and request a disciplinary investigation, writing: “We write to express our grave concern about actions taken by Emil Joseph Bove, III that may constitute serious professional misconduct under the New York State Unified Court System Rules of Professional Conduct. Since becoming Acting Deputy Attorney General forthe U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Mr. Bove has abused his position in numerous ways, including using the prosecutorial power of the federal government to coerce an elected state municipal officer to pursue policies to the political benefit of President Donald J. Trump. Rather than carry out an unethical order from Mr. Bove, then-Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York (SDNY) Danielle Sassoon, a SDNY assistant U.S. attorney, and at least five career prosecutors in DOJ’s Criminal Division, including the then-acting chief of the Public Integrity Section and a deputy assistant attorney general, resigned. Due to the serious nature of Mr. Bove’s misconduct, we request that the Departmental Disciplinary Committee for the First Judicial Department open an investigation to determine whether Mr. Bove, who is a member of the New York State Bar, violated applicable New York State Unified Court System Rules of Professional Conduct and should be subject to disciplinary action.”
The Senators then explain the coercive and political nature of Bove’s role in the dismissal of United States v. Adams, before outlining specific episodes that appear to violate at least four categories of prohibited misconduct by the New York State Unified Court System, writing: “As detailed in official Department of Justice and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the SDNY memoranda and subsequent public reporting, Mr. Bove has explicitly premised the dismissal of charges against Mayor Eric L. Adams upon the extraction of a political favor from Mayor Adams to benefit President Trump. Notably, the dismissal is inherently coercive, because it was without prejudice, therefore allowing Mr. Bove to use the threat of again charging Mayor Adams to ensure the political favor is fulfilled. There is substantial documentary proof of this misconduct, and reportedly dozens of witnesses to verify public reporting of Mr. Bove’s misconduct in this matter[.]”
The Senators conclude with a request for a professional misconduct investigation into Bove, writing: “Mr. Bove’s conduct not only speaks to his fitness as a lawyer; his activities are part of a broader course of conduct by President Trump and his allies to undermine the traditional independence of Department of Justice’s investigations and prosecutions and the rule of law. When a government lawyer, particularly one entrusted with a leadership role in the nation’s foremost law enforcement agency, commits serious violations of professional conduct, such actions undermine the integrity of our justice system and erode public confidence in it. Public confidence is further eroded when such serious misconduct is met with no consequences. Therefore, we submit this letter of complaint to respectfully request that the Departmental Disciplinary Committee for the First Department initiate an investigation and take appropriate disciplinary proceedings pursuant to N.Y. Comp. Codes R. & Regs. tit. 22 § 1240.7.”
In addition to Durbin, the letter is signed by U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Chris Coons (D-DE), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Adam Schiff (D-CA).
For a PDF copy of the complaint against Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove, click here.
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