Emails and texts from inside the Justice Department show Emil Bove told colleagues on March 3 he’d defy federal judges whose rulings undercut Trump’s agenda. A DOJ lawyer flagged the messages and sent them to senators on the Judiciary Committee.

Senators have stalled Bove’s confirmation vote and demanded internal documents on White House–DOJ coordination. The fight over Bove’s nomination exposes how the executive branch, DOJ insiders, and Senate oversight collide to decide who sits on the bench.