WASHINGTON — The Senate narrowly voted on Tuesday to begin considering the nomination of former Trump lawyer Emil Bove for a lifetime appointment as a federal appeals court judge, with at least one Republican opposed and Democrats vowing to try to slow his confirmation.

Bove, a former criminal defense lawyer for President Donald Trump, is now a top official at the Justice Department. His nomination for the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has come under intense scrutiny from Democrats after a fired department lawyer said he suggested the Trump administration may need to ignore judicial commands — a claim Bove denies.

He was at the forefront of the department’s dismissed corruption case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams. He has also accused FBI officials of “insubordination” for refusing to hand over the names of agents who investigated the 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol and ordered the firings of a group of prosecutors involved in those Jan. 6 criminal cases.

The 50-48 vote came after Democrats forced an additional procedural vote on his nomination, an effort to protest the nomination and delay the process. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer called Bove “the extreme of the extreme of the extreme” and “Trump’s worst judicial nominee to date.”

“Mr. Bove’s entire career has been built on one thing: fealty to Donald Trump,” Schumer said.

Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski was the only Republican to vote with Democrats against moving to consider the nomination. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, voted with Republicans to move forward but said in a statement that she will oppose Bove’s confirmation on a final vote.

“We have to have judges who will adhere to the rule of law and the Constitution and do so regardless of what their personal views may be,” Collins said. “Mr. Bove’s political profile and some of the actions he has taken in his leadership roles at the Department of Justice cause me to conclude he would not serve as an impartial jurist.”

It is unclear whether any other Republicans will oppose Bove’s confirmation. If all Democrats vote against the nomination, Senate Republicans can lose three GOP votes and still confirm him if Vice President JD Vance breaks a 50-50 tie.

The tension and delays over Bove’s nomination come as Republicans have tried to move Trump’s nominees as quickly as possible and as Trump has pushed Senate Majority Leader John Thune to skip the traditional August recess to stay in session and confirm more judges and executive branch officials. Thune said he is considering doing that if Democrats continue to force delays, and Democrats have shown little signs of letting up.