US president-elect Donald Trump nominated former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi to head the US Department of Justice (DOJ) Thursday, hours after controversial former congressman Matt Gaetz withdrew his nomination to the post. Bondi previously joined President Trump’s defense in his 2019 impeachment trial.
Announcing his new pick, Trump touted Bondi as being “very tough on Violent Criminals” while Florida’s top prosecutor. The president-elect also took aim at the DOJ:
For too long, the partisan Department of Justice has been weaponized against me and other Republicans – Not anymore. 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!
Bondi served as Florida Attorney General from 2011-2019. During her tenure, Bondi filed lawsuits against opioid manufacturer Purdue Pharma as well as retailers CVS and Walgreens over their alleged contributions to the opioid epidemic in the US.
However, Bondi’s tenure was not without controversy. The then-state AG was previously accused of soliciting an illegal $25,000 donation to a political action committee from the Trump Foundation in 2013 while “considering legal action” against Trump University, a real-estate education program that was embroiled in fraud lawsuits.
Critics of Bondi’s nomination also pointed to her 2019 registration as a foreign agent to lobby on behalf of Qatar while employed with the lobbying firm Ballard Partners.
Bondi must face a confirmation vote in the US Senate once Trump takes office before she can assume her role as US Attorney General.
