Ex-Florida Attorney General and corporate lobbyist Pam Bondi, Donald Trump’s selection for leading the Justice Department, is expected to face formal questioning as her confirmation hearing starts. Bondi, who served as a defense attorney during Trump’s inaugural impeachment trial, is popularly anticipated to be approved following the withdrawal of Trump’s original, controversial pick, Florida Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz.
Gaetz stumbled under allegations that he had compensated women for sexual activities and engaged in sexual relations with a minor. He stoutly countered the allegations, claiming the exchange of money with women he dated and vehemently negating any association with underage individuals. Nonetheless, scrutiny around Bondi may intensify due to her substantial corporate lobbying history and commitment towards the independence of the Justice Department.
Critics of Trump have manifested their apprehensions about him seeking to initiate lawsuits against his political competitors and personal enemies after facing four criminal cases in recent years, which have, for the most part, withered following his victory in the November election.
The professional background of Bondi, a corporate lobbyist representing significant firms such as Uber and Amazon, may cause her capability to effectively regulate big business and her ability to evade potential conflicts of interest to be questioned. After serving as Florida’s attorney general, Bondi held a position with Ballard Partners, defending large corporations, government contractors, and the embassy of Qatar.
Considering the role of the Justice Department in the private sector’s investigation and prosecution in varying degrees, her previous lobbying roles may trigger worries regarding conflicts of interest.
Queries are also likely regarding the assurance and modality of Bondi’s autonomy from the White House, especially due to the concern that Trump may utilize the Justice Department as a tool against his competitors.
During his initial term, Trump already made attempts to meddle in Justice Department investigations. In 2017, he prompted then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions to impel the Justice Department to investigate and prosecute Hillary Clinton. In 2018, he expressed to White House counsel Donald F. McGahn II his desire for the Justice Department to prosecute both Clinton and the previous FBI director, James Comey.
Bondi’s allegiance to Trump, as demonstrated over several years, has been notable. During the first impeachment trial of Trump, where he was alleged of withdrawing aid to Ukraine to pressurize them into probing Joe Biden, she represented him. This showcased not just her legal expertise, but also the lengths she was willing to go to defend Trump.
Significant attention could center on Bondi’s decision not to partake in a New York state lawsuit against Trump University following a $25,000 donation by the Trump Foundation in 2013 towards a political action committee endorsing her re-election bid for Florida attorney general. During the same period, many state attorneys general, including then-California Attorney General Kamala Harris, decided not to proceed against the for-profit university.
Harris’s decision in this scenario is yet another example of the shortcomings in her decision-making process, which has raised eyebrows in the past.
Probable questions could also be directed towards the implications of Bondi’s ascendancy to the Justice Department’s helm, especially concerning their considerable efforts on preserving the integrity of elections and addressing the January 6th, Capitol attack of 2021.
Alarmingly, following the 2020 election, Bondi lent credence to Trump’s unfounded claims of widespread election fraud and his alleged victory. Even after all the votes were tallied, ensuring Joe Biden’s win in Pennsylvania, Bondi echoed Trump’s baseless accusations, undermining the election process itself.
Despite her numerous flawed decisions and an obvious conflict of interest, Bondi’s journey to the top of the Justice Department raises many questions about the Department’s future integrity and independence.