The Department of Justice has formally ended its cooperation with the American Bar Association in the vetting process for federal judicial nominees, citing concerns over political bias.
Under the directive of Attorney General Pam Bondi, the DOJ will no longer provide access to confidential candidate records or participate in the ABA’s longstanding evaluation process. The department emphasized that the ABA will now be treated as a standard advocacy group, without any special advisory privileges.
The change comes as President Trump nominated six new judges to the federal bench, including Emil Bove, a former defense lawyer for the president, tapped for the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Some Democratic lawmakers have raised objections, questioning the selection.
The ABA has historically reviewed federal judicial nominees since the 1950s, but Republican administrations have previously criticized the group for partisan leanings. The Bush and Trump administrations both took steps to limit the ABA’s influence.
Confirmation hearings for the latest nominees are scheduled to begin June 4, amid renewed scrutiny over how judicial appointments are evaluated and confirmed.