President-elect Donald Trump’s selection to be attorney general in his new administration faces the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday morning at a confirmation hearing.
Trump tapped former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi to lead the Department of Justice (DOJ) in late November after former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., withdrew from consideration.
The Wednesday hearing begins at 9:30 a.m., and Bondi will be questioned by both Republican and Democrat members of the committee.
‘I hope that the Democrats give the same … courteous consideration to [her] that Republicans did of [Attorney General Merrick] Garland,’ Chair Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, told Fox News Digital ahead of the hearing.
‘[A]nd I hope people stay within their timeline, because we’ve got to move right along,’ he added.
Members of the committee include Grassley and Republican Sens. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, John Cornyn of Texas, Mike Lee of Utah, Ted Cruz of Texas, Josh Hawley of Missouri, Thom Tillis of North Carolina, John Kennedy of Louisiana, Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, Eric Schmitt of Missouri, Katie Britt of Alabama and Mike Crapo of Idaho.
Also on the committee are ranking member Dick Durbin, D-Ill., as well as Democrat Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, Chris Coons of Delaware, Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Mazie Hirono of Hawaii, Cory Booker of New Jersey, Alex Padilla of California, Peter Welch of Vermont and Adam Schiff of California.
Durbin met with Bondi last week but emerged from their discussion with remaining concerns.
‘In today’s meeting, I raised concerns with Ms. Bondi regarding her record – one in which she served as a personal attorney to President-elect Trump, was a leader in the effort to overturn the 2020 election, and has echoed the President-elect’s calls for prosecuting his political opponents. In addition, Ms. Bondi has a long track record of opposing fundamental civil rights, including reproductive rights, voting rights, and LGBTQ+ rights,’ he said in a statement.
‘The role of the Attorney General is to oversee an independent Justice Department that upholds the rule of law and is free of undue political influence. Given Ms. Bondi’s responses to my questions, I remain concerned about her ability to serve as an Attorney General who will put her oath to the Constitution ahead of her fealty to Donald Trump,’ he added.
The ranking member is likely to question Bondi during the hearing on these same subjects.
On Monday, Durbin outlined several concerns he has with Trump’s pick.
‘The obvious concern with Ms. Bondi is whether she will follow the bipartisan tradition of the post-Watergate era and oversee an independent Department of Justice that upholds the rule of law. Ms. Bondi is one of four personal lawyers to President-elect Trump who he has already selected for Department of Justice positions. She was a leader in the effort to overturn the 2020 election. She has echoed the President[-elect]’s calls for prosecuting his political opponents, and she has a troubling history of unflinching loyalty to the president-elect,’ he said in floor remarks.
The attorney general hopeful met with Grassley in early December, after which he said in a statement, ‘Pam Bondi is a well-qualified nominee with an impressive legal career, including eight years as Attorney General of the State of Florida and nearly two decades spent as a prosecutor. Bondi is prepared to refocus the Justice Department (DOJ)’s attention where it ought to be: on enforcing the law and protecting Americans’ safety.’
The Judiciary chair promised the committee would ‘move swiftly to consider her nomination when the 119th Congress convenes in January.’
Trump praised Bondi in his November announcement, writing in part, ‘For too long, the partisan Department of Justice has been weaponized against me and other Republicans – Not anymore.’
‘Pam will refocus the DOJ to its intended purpose of fighting Crime, and Making America Safe Again,’ he continued. ‘I have known Pam for many years — She is smart and tough, and is an AMERICA FIRST Fighter, who will do a terrific job as Attorney General!’
Since being picked by Trump, Bondi has received several influential endorsements. Recently, 60 former Democrat and Republican attorneys general urged senators to confirm her in a letter. Further, dozens of former Justice Department officials called on the Judiciary Committee last week encouraging them to confirm Trump’s choice.
