RALEIGH, NC – Common Cause North Carolina today called on Sen. Thom Tillis to honor his pledge to reject any nominee who excuses the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol by voting NO on the nomination of Emil Bove to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.

Sen. Tillis previously stated, “I was the last member out of the chamber on January 6th. I saw everything unfold. And I’m still angry about it. The President should know if there is anyone coming up for a nomination through any committee of my jurisdiction that excused January the 6th, that they’re not going to get confirmed in my remaining tenure in the U.S. Senate.”

Emil Bove, a former Trump attorney and current DOJ official, has repeatedly refused to clearly denounce the January 6 insurrection, calling it “a matter of significant political debate.”

Worse, Bove has used his position to undermine prosecutions of those responsible – forcing the removal of dozens of federal prosecutors who worked on Capitol attack cases and demanding the identities of FBI agents involved in those investigations. He co-authored an internal DOJ memo describing the prosecutions as part of a “grave national injustice.”

“Senator Tillis has been unequivocal about his disgust at the events of January 6th – and we agree with him,” said Bob Phillips, Executive Director of Common Cause North Carolina. “Now is the moment for Senator Tillis to stand by his words and to stand up for the rule of law. Emil Bove’s refusal to condemn the January 6th attack and his actions to dismantle accountability efforts should disqualify him from a lifetime appointment to the federal bench.”

The Senate Judiciary Committee is expected to vote on Bove’s nomination as early as this Thursday, July 17. As a committee member, Sen. Tillis holds a pivotal role in determining whether Bove moves forward.

Common Cause North Carolina urges Sen. Tillis to vote no on Bove’s nomination – and to uphold his promise to reject any nominee who minimizes or excuses the January 6 attack on our democracy.

As part of a nonpartisan public awareness campaign, Common Cause North Carolina is encouraging North Carolinians to contact Sen. Tillis and call on him to vote no to Bove’s nomination. More information is available at ccnc.me/NoToBove.

Common Cause NC is a nonpartisan grassroots organization dedicated to upholding the core values of American democracy. We work to create open, honest and accountable government that serves the public interest; promote equal rights, opportunity and representation for all; and empower all people to make their voices heard in the political process.