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Trump's AG pick Pam Bondi: 'There will never be an enemies list' in DOJ

Pam Bondi sits with family members as she prepares to testify during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing to examine her expected nomination to be attorney general, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI
1 of 4 | Pam Bondi sits with family members as she prepares to testify during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing to examine her expected nomination to be attorney general, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo

Jan. 15 (UPI) -- President-elect Donald Trump's pick for attorney general, Pam Bondi, vowed to remain independent and nonpartisan during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Wednesday.

Bondi did not distance herself from disproven claims about the 2020 election or rebuke the rhetoric of some of her fellow Cabinet nominees, however. Instead, she talked around some questions on those subjects while embracing the notion that the Department of Justice has been politically weaponized.

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The differing interests of Republicans and Democrats were on display throughout the hearing. Republicans remained concerned about the alleged political weaponization and lost trust in the Department of Justice under the Biden administration.

Democrats were particularly interested in Bondi's ability to say "no" to Trump if asked to do something illegal or unconstitutional. Bondi reiterated that she will be the ultimate decision maker that will dictate the Justice Department's actions.

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Democrats remained skeptical about Bondi's close relationship to Trump. She has served as a legal adviser to the president-elect, campaigned on his behalf and advocated for him as he challenged the results of the 2020 election.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., called it "ridiculous" that Bondi's relationship with Trump is of any concern, adding that President John. F. Kennedy chose his brother, Robert F. Kennedy, as his attorney general.

"This idea there's something bad is ridiculous," Graham said. "Who do you pick? You pick people you know. You pick people you trust and pick people who are qualified. The idea that there's something wrong with that is absolutely ridiculous."

While Bondi's qualifications and character were the focal point of the hearing, the character of another nominee, Kash Patel, was brought into question, as well. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., asked Bondi if she would adopt Patel's "enemies list" that he has discussed at length across multiple public statements. Bondi supported Patel's nomination for FBI director but pushed back on the existence of an enemies list.

"I don't believe he has an enemies list. He made a quote on TV which I have not heard," Bondi responded. "He has great experience in the intel department. I believe that Kash is the right person at this time for this job."

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"There will never be an enemies list within the Department of Justice," she added.

If both are confirmed, Patel would be under Bondi's purview.

Some of Bondi's responses have been repeated throughout the hearing. When asked to weigh in on comments by Trump or Patel, she has deflected by saying she is "not familiar" with those statements. When asked who won the 2020 election, she has responded "Joe Biden is the president."

Republicans have focused on the alleged political weaponization of the Department of Justice under the Biden administration. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, exclaimed that he does not want a Republican or Democratic Department of Justice.

"I want a Department of Justice that follows the damn law," Cruz said as he pounded his desk.

Cruz is one of several Republican senators who have expressed their belief that the Biden administration's Justice Department has targeted political opponents, namely Trump.

During his opening statement, committee chairman Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, lauded Bondi for her experience and her work combatting the opioid epidemic and human trafficking while she was Florida's attorney general. He and the lawmakers who introduced Bondi -- Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., and Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo. -- meanwhile called on Bondi to restore trust in the Justice Department, citing weaponization under the Biden administration.

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"The Justice Department is infected with political decision-making while its leaders refuse to recognize that reality," Grassley said. "I know, as other people on this committee and in and out of Congress know, what government weaponization is."

Bondi echoed the criticisms of the current Justice Department.

"I will fight everyday to restore confidence and integrity to the Department of Justice and each of its components," she said. "Partisanship will be gone. America will have one tier of justice for all."

Bondi, a private practice lawyer, was the attorney general of Florida from 2011 to 2019. She has also served as an adviser to Trump during his first impeachment trial in 2019.

Bondi has also parroted Trump's false claims that the 2020 election results were fraudulent. Ranking Democrat Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois asked Bondi if she accepts that President Joe Biden's 2020 election victory was legitimate. She said she accepts the result but raised questions about election integrity. She did not provide a straight answer.

She did take the opportunity, while responding on multiple occasions, to highlight Trump's 2024 victory.

Bondi went on to say she did not listen to the audio recording of Trump's phone call to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. During this call, Trump asked Raffensperger to "find" the votes he needed to overturn the results of the election. Bondi claimed this is not what Trump was asking, despite saying she has not listened to the call in full.

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Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., encouraged Bondi to listen to the recording.

Bondi did not directly say whether or not she would support Trump's plan to pardon the Capitol rioters who have been charged or convicted for participating in the assault on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

"I have not seen any of those files," she said. "If confirmed and asked to advise, I will look at each file. I condemn any violence on a law enforcement officer in this country."

Several Republican senators indicated that they do not believe she or Trump would pardon violent offenders from the Capitol riot.

The hearing became tense during Bondi's exchanges with Democratic Sens. Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff, both of California. Both asked her to answer whether she had evidence of mass fraud in the 2020 election or if she would walk back statements that Trump won Pennsylvania in that election. She did not answer either question.

"You cut me off when I was speaking," Bondi said during a back-and-forth with Padilla. "I'm not going to be bullied by you, Sen. Padilla."

Padilla would go on to ask Bondi if she recognized the 14th Amendment, referring to birthright citizenship, as the law of the land. Their exchange was again marked with crosstalk between the two, culminating in Bondi saying "I'm not here to do your homework and study for you."

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"You're asking to serve as the attorney general of the United States and you still need to study the 14th Amendment of the Constitution?" Padilla said. "That is not helping me have more confidence in your ability to do this job."

Trump originally meant to nominate former congressman Matt Gaetz but he withdrew his nomination in the face of allegations of sexual misconduct, including a sexual relationship with a minor.

The committee convened at 9:30 a.m. EST. It concluded after nearly six hours, including a lunch break.

Bondi's is one of several confirmation hearings held Wednesday. Trump's nominee for secretary of state, Marco Rubio, will appear before the Senate Foreign Relations committee beginning at 10 a.m.

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem was also scheduled for a confirmation hearing as she vies to be the director of homeland security. Her hearing was rescheduled for Friday.

On Tuesday, Trump's secretary of defense choice, Pete Hegseth, faced the Senate Armed Forces Committee. Hegseth was grilled for sexist comments he has made, accusations of sexual assault and alcohol abuse.

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