During her confirmation hearing in the Senate on Wednesday, Pam Bondi, nominated by Donald Trump to serve as attorney general, asserted that the investigations against the president-elect have been ongoing for years. She emphasized her commitment not to “politicize” the Justice Department if she were to be confirmed as the principal federal law enforcement officer for the country.
Bondi’s remarks mirrored Trump’s assertions that the Justice Department has been weaponized to target him, while concerns were raised by Democrats regarding the potential misuse of the agency’s law enforcement authority to retaliate against Trump’s critics, including those who have investigated him.
“They targeted Donald Trump,” she declared, noting that the investigations began around 2016 and have persisted since then. She reiterated her pledge: “If I am attorney general, I will not politicize that office.” She further criticized the department, stating, “it has been weaponized for years, and it needs to stop.”
However, this notion of politically motivated investigations has been staunchly opposed by current Attorney General Merrick Garland and Special Counsel Jack Smith. In a recent report, Smith indicated that his decisions were free from political influence, asserting that the evidence gathered was adequate for convicting Trump on charges concerning efforts to overturn the 2020 election results.
Following Trump’s election victory, Smith refrained from pursuing cases linked to Trump, including one regarding the mishandling of classified documents, to adhere to a long-standing Justice Department policy that prevents criminal cases against sitting presidents.
During the hearing, Democrats questioned Bondi’s willingness to refuse the president if asked to perform unethical or illegal actions. Bondi sought to quell these fears by stating her primary duty would be to the American people rather than the president. In response to Senator Chris Coons of Delaware regarding a hypothetical situation where career prosecutors suggested a criminal case but the White House opposed it, Bondi did not respond definitively, saying, “If I thought that that would happen, I would not be sitting here today.”
Conversely, Republicans view Bondi’s potential confirmation as a fundamental shift away from what they perceive as a biased agenda pursued by the Justice Department, which they believe has unjustly investigated Trump and engaged a special counsel resulting in indictments.
“If confirmed, I will work to restore confidence and integrity to the Department of Justice — and each of its components,” Bondi stated in her opening statement. “Under my leadership, the partisan weaponization of the Department of Justice will cease. America deserves a uniform standard of justice for all.” While she did not clarify her definition of “one tier of justice,” previous investigations by the department included inquiries into President Joe Biden concerning classified materials, which did not result in charges.
Democratic lawmakers, including Senator Dick Durbin, are poised to highlight Bondi’s lengthy association with Trump and her defense of him during various media appearances, where she previously commented on the prosecution of what she referred to as “bad” prosecutors and investigators within the department.
Bondi has also claimed that members of the so-called “deep state” were “hiding in the shadows” during Trump’s presidency but are now under scrutiny, heightening concerns that the department might target investigations under directives from Trump.
Longstanding practices usually deter presidents from interfering directly in specific criminal investigations. However, during his tenure, Trump publicly demanded inquiries into his rivals and criticized former Attorney General Jeff Sessions for recusing himself from probes related to Russian-election interference that loomed over Trump’s presidency.
“I need to know that you would tell the president ‘no’ if you are asked to take part in something wrong, illegal, or unconstitutional,” Durbin noted while referencing how Bondi had been Trump’s legal adviser and appeared to support his unfounded claims that the 2020 election was illegitimate.
In contrast, committee chairman Senator Chuck Grassley outlined several grievances related to the Justice Department, including past investigations into Russian electoral interference and a recent memo from Garland aimed at addressing threats from parents at school board forums.
Bondi, who has served over 18 years at the Hillsborough County State Attorney’s Office in Florida and works as a corporate lobbyist, received the attorney general nomination after Trump’s initial choice, former Florida Representative Matt Gaetz, withdrew amid issues stemming from a federal investigation that concluded without charges.
As the hearing progressed, Bondi aimed to steer the conversation towards her vision for the Justice Department. In her opening remarks, she committed to safeguarding First Amendment rights related to free speech and religion, as well as the Second Amendment’s right to bear arms. She also pledged to address the federal Bureau of Prisons’ ongoing difficulties.
“If I become the United States Attorney General, my primary goal will be to refocus the Department of Justice on its essential mission of ensuring safety for Americans while enforcing the law vigorously,” she stated. “This involves a return to foundational principles — pursuing violent crime, combating gang activity, protecting children from predators and drug traffickers, safeguarding the country against terrorism and foreign dangers, in addition to tackling the urgent situation at the border.”
