Pam Bondi, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to become the country’s next attorney general, is scheduled to face the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday for her confirmation hearing.
Bondi is at least the fourth former or current Trump defense lawyer to be nominated for a top Justice Department position. The 59-year-old represented Trump during his first impeachment trial, in which he was accused of withholding aid to Ukraine to allegedly pressure the Eastern European country to investigate President Joe Biden. The Senate acquitted Trump in the trial.
In addition to representing Trump, Bondi served as Florida’s chief legal officer from 2011 to 2019. Her nomination came after Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz announced he would remove himself from the Senate confirmation process following sexual misconduct allegations, including accusations of sex trafficking and sexual relations with a minor, which are all claims he’s denied.
“Pam was a prosecutor for nearly 20 years, where she was very tough on Violent Criminals, and made the streets safe for Florida Families,” Trump said in a statement about Bondi’s nomination. “Then, as Florida’s first female Attorney General, she worked to stop the trafficking of deadly drugs, and reduce the tragedy of Fentanyl Overdose Deaths, which have destroyed many families across our Country.”
Here is what to know about Bondi’s upcoming confirmation hearing, and who the U.S. attorney general nominee is.
Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to be U.S. Attorney General, arrives for a meeting with Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), ranking member on the Senate Judiciary Committee, in the Russell Senate Office Building on December 2, 2024 in Washington, DC.
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How to watch Pam Bondi’s confirmation hearing?
Bondi’s confirmation hearing will be held on Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. ET, according to the Senate Judiciary Committee, which will be livestreaming the proceedings.
Who is Pam Bondi?
Pamela Jo Bondi is a Tampa, Florida native and daughter to former Temple Terrace mayor Joseph Bondi. She received her bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice in 1987 from the University of Florida and her Juris Doctor in 1990 from Stetson Law School.
After law school, Bondi worked as a prosecutor in Hillsborough County, Florida’s 13th Judicial Circuit for nearly 20 years before running for state attorney general. She won the election in 2010 and became the first woman in Florida to hold that office.
As Florida attorney general, Bondi:
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Led an unsuccessful multistate lawsuit to overturn the Affordable Care Act.
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Led a statewide effort to eliminate pill mills.
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Pulled the state of Florida into a lawsuit against Obama’s immigration policy.
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Defended Florida’s same-sex marriage ban, citing her desire to uphold the constitution.
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Co-authored a presidential report on the opioid crisis.
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Worked alongside multiple agencies and legislators to implement programs and laws aimed at fighting fentanyl trafficking.
Bondi is a long-time ally of President-elect Donald Trump
It is unclear what the Republican-controlled Senate will question Bondi about. Still, she would be coming into the role as a long-time Trump ally dating back to 2013 when her office considered joining a lawsuit against Trump after receiving nearly two dozen complaints about Trump University. She declined to join the suit after her re-election PAC “And Justice for All,” received a $25,000 donation from the Donald J. Trump Foundation.
Bondi and Trump denied there was a quid pro quo and a state prosecutor cleared them, although the IRS later fined Trump for violating political contribution laws. Their relationship continued with Bondi even being one of the Republicans who showed up in support of Trump during his hush money trial in New York last year.
“For too long, the partisan Department of Justice has been weaponized against me and other Republicans – Not anymore,” Trump said in his statement about Bondi’s nomination. “Pam will refocus the DOJ to its intended purpose of fighting Crime, and Making America Safe Again. 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!”
Criticisms of Trump nominating allies is due to him reportedly making efforts to use the Justice Department to go after rivals during his first administration. During Trump’s 2024 campaign, he also posted memes on social media calling for his rivals to be indicted and depicting his political adversaries behind jail bars.
How could Bondi make history on Wednesday?
If Bondi is confirmed to be the next U.S. attorney general, she would become the first Republican woman to hold the office.
Janet Reno is the first woman to be the U.S. attorney general. She served under former President Bill Clinton for eight years, making her the second-longest-serving attorney general in the country’s history.
Former President Barack Obama named Loretta Lynch — the second woman, the second Black American and the first Black woman — to the head position in 2015. She served in the role until 2017.
Sally Yates was Trump’s first acting attorney general in 2017, but he fired her after just 10 days due to her refusing to enforce or defend his new Muslim ban that restricted travel to the U.S. from seven Muslim-majority countries.
Contributing: Aysha Bagchi, Michael Collins & C. A. Bridges/ USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Pam Bondi’s US attorney general confirmation hearing: What to know.
