Senate approval of Trump nominee Pam Bondi as AG receives backlash
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A longtime prosecutor, Bondi previously defended Trump during his first impeachment trial and has echoed some of his unfounded claims about voter fraud in the 2020 election.
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Pam Bondi, President-elect Donald Trump's choice to lead the Justice Department as attorney general, appears before the Senate Judiciary Committee for her confirmation hearing, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, January 15, 2025. (AP)
The Republican-controlled US Senate confirmed Pam Bondi as attorney general on Tuesday, elevating one of former President Donald Trump’s most loyal allies to lead the Justice Department.
Bondi, 59, secured the role with a 54-46 vote, with Democratic Senator John Fetterman joining all 53 Republicans in support. Her appointment bolsters Trump’s influence over the Justice Department, which has recently undergone major staff reductions, particularly among prosecutors and FBI agents involved in investigating the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack.
During her confirmation hearing last month, Bondi pledged to uphold the department’s independence, assuring lawmakers she would not politicize investigations. However, concerns persist over whether she will push back against any legally questionable directives from Trump, particularly following the dismissal of multiple prosecutors who pursued cases against him.
Driving the news
Upon taking office on January 20, Trump signed an executive order condemning what he called the "weaponization" of federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies. The order directed the attorney general to review all departments and agencies involved in civil or criminal enforcement.
A longtime prosecutor, Bondi previously defended Trump during his first impeachment trial and has echoed some of his unfounded claims about voter fraud in the 2020 election. Financial disclosures reveal that she also holds a stake in Trump Media and Technology Group.
Bondi was Trump’s second nominee for attorney general after his first choice, former Congressman Matt Gaetz, withdrew his name and resigned from Congress amid an ethics investigation.
So far, Gaetz is the only Trump nominee to abandon their confirmation bid. Meanwhile, Senate committees on Tuesday advanced two of Trump’s most contentious picks—Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for health secretary and Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence.
Civil rights coalition denounces Pam Bondi’s confirmation
Civil rights advocates have strongly denounced the Senate’s confirmation of Pam Bondi as US attorney general, warning that her appointment could undermine federal civil rights protections and politicize the Justice Department.
Maya Wiley, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, called the confirmation a "grave mistake", arguing that Bondi’s record of election denial and close ties to former President Donald Trump make her unfit for the role.
"The regressive agenda threatened by Project 2025 to upend our civil rights protections and turn the Department of Justice from a shield to a weapon is underway," Wiley said in a statement, referring to a conservative policy blueprint aimed at reshaping the federal government.
With Bondi now leading the DOJ, civil rights advocates say they will be closely monitoring the department’s actions in the coming months.
