'Dear God': Democrats storm out of vote on controversial Trump nominee

Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee stormed out of an executive committee meeting Thursday moments before the panel voted to advance President Donald Trump's judicial nominee, Emil Bove, to the full Senate floor for a vote.

Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., urged Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa before the vote to allow them to consider the allegations against Bove made by a former Justice Department attorney, Erez Reuveni, in a whistleblower report.

Booker invoked Rule 4 of the committee rules in trying to push for additional debate time, which Grassley declined to acknowledge before ordering the vote — prompting the Democrat members of the panel to abruptly exit the hearing room.

Shortly before walking out, Booker took aim at Grassley. "What are you afraid of?" he erupted, after Grassley tried to speak over him and hold the vote. "Debating this [nomination], putting things on the record — Dear God," he said, "that's what we are here for."

"This lacks decency, this lacks decorum, it shows that you will not hear from your colleagues," Booker said to Grassley in another attempt. "You are a decent man," he said, imploring him to allow a small window of additional time for the panel to debate before pushing through with the committee vote. 

"Why are you doing this?" Booker pressed again. 

 "What are they saying to you," he said, referring to the Trump administration, "that is making you do something to violate the decorum, the decency and the respect of this committee to at least hear each other out?" 

President Donald Trump announced earlier this year the nomination of senior Justice Department official and his former defense attorney, Emil Bove, to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, a controversial choice that comes as the president continues to attack so-called "activist" judges for blocking his agenda.

His path to confirmation in the full Senate chamber remains rocky, and comes amid mounting concerns over the allegations made in the whistleblower report.

This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.