US Attorney General nominee Pam Bondi pledged to end the “partisan weaponization” of the Department of Justice during her confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday. Bondi, nominated by President-elect Donald Trump, emphasized her commitment to restoring fairness, enforcing the law, and addressing critical issues like violent crime, border security, and constitutional rights.
Bondi, a former Florida Attorney General, told the committee that her top priority would be to ensure equal justice for all Americans.
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“If confirmed as United States Attorney General, my overriding objective would be to return the Department of Justice to its core mission of keeping Americans safe and vigorously enforcing the law,” Bondi said. “That requires getting back to basics—prosecuting violent crime and gang activity, stopping child predators and drug traffickers, protecting our nation from terrorists and other foreign threats, and addressing the overwhelming crisis at the Border.”
She vowed to prioritize defending Americans’ constitutional rights, including free speech, religious freedom, and Second Amendment protections, while ensuring that political bias has no place in the department’s operations.
Bondi directly addressed concerns about perceived political bias within the DOJ under the Biden administration. She cited examples like the prosecution of pro-life activists and the special counsel investigation led by Jack Smith targeting President Trump.
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“The Department of Justice must defend the foundational rights of all Americans and apply the law evenly,” Bondi said. “The weaponization of the DOJ for partisan purposes must end. There must be one tier of justice.”
Bondi lauded President-elect Trump’s record on criminal justice reform and expressed confidence in the administration’s ability to drive bipartisan solutions.
“President Trump’s leadership on criminal justice reform demonstrates what is possible when a President is unafraid to do things that have been deemed ‘too difficult’ and to reach across the aisle to bring about real solutions,” she said. “Like the President, I believe we are on the ‘cusp of a New Golden Age’ where the Department of Justice can and will do better.”
Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) underscored the need for significant reforms to prevent future partisan abuses within the DOJ. Grassley called on Bondi to ensure that instances of “lawfare,” such as those targeting political opponents, never happen again.
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“The Department of Justice must return to being an impartial institution that Americans can trust,” Grassley said. “We need to ensure that what happened under the Biden administration, including the special counsel’s actions and the targeting of pro-life activists, never happens again.”
While Bondi received praise from Republican senators for her tenure as Florida’s attorney general and her commitment to law enforcement, some Democratic senators raised concerns about potential political motivations behind her nomination. However, Bondi assured the committee that her focus would remain on restoring trust and integrity within the DOJ.
Bondi’s confirmation is expected to face a full Senate vote in the coming weeks. If confirmed, she would oversee the DOJ at a time of heightened political polarization, with a mandate to restore impartiality and enforce the rule of law.
“This is a pivotal moment for the Department of Justice,” Bondi concluded. “I am ready to lead with integrity and purpose to ensure that the rights of all Americans are protected and justice is served fairly.”
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