Associated Press
President-elect Donald Trump on Thursday named Pam Bondi, the former Attorney General of Florida, to be U.S. Attorney General just hours after his other choice, Matt Gaetz, withdrew his name from consideration.
Bondi is a longtime Trump ally and was one of his lawyers during his first impeachment trial, when he was accused — but not convicted — of abusing his power as he tried to condition U.S. military assistance to Ukraine on that country investigating then-former Vice President Joe Biden.
Bondi was among a group of Republicans who showed up to support Trump at his hush money criminal trial in New York that ended in May with a conviction on 34 felony counts. She’s been a Chair at the America First Policy Institute, a think tank set up by former Trump administration staffers.
“For too long, the partisan Department of Justice has been weaponized against me and other Republicans — Not anymore,” Trump said in a social media post. “Pam will refocus the DOJ to its intended purpose of fighting Crime, and Making America Safe Again.”
Trump’s son Donald Trump Jr. told Fox Business on Sunday that the transition team had backups in mind for his controversial nominees should they fail to get confirmed. The swift selection of Bondi came about six hours after Gaetz withdrew.
Gaetz stepped aside amid continued fallout over a federal sex trafficking investigation that cast doubt on his ability to be confirmed as the nation’s chief federal law enforcement officer.
That announcement capped a turbulent eight-day period in which Trump sought to capitalize on his decisive election win to force Senate Republicans to accept provocative selections like Gaetz, who had been investigated by the Justice Department before being tapped last week to lead it. The decision could heighten scrutiny on other controversial Trump nominees, including Pentagon pick Pete Hegseth, who faces sexual assault allegations that he denies.
“There is no time to waste on a needlessly protracted Washington scuffle, thus I’ll be withdrawing my name from consideration to serve as Attorney General. Trump’s DOJ must be in place and ready on Day 1,” he added. Hours later, Gaetz posted on social media that he looks “forward to continuing the fight to save our country,” adding, “Just maybe from a different post.”
Trump, in a social media post, said: “I greatly appreciate the recent efforts of Matt Gaetz in seeking approval to be Attorney General. He was doing very well but, at the same time, did not want to be a distraction for the Administration, for which he has much respect. Matt has a wonderful future, and I look forward to watching all of the great things he will do!”
Last week, Trump named personal lawyers Todd Blanche, Emil Bove and D. John Sauer to senior roles in the Department. Another possible Attorney General contender, Matt Whitaker, was announced Wednesday as the U.S. ambassador to NATO.
___
Republished with permission of The Associated Press.
13 comments
Alexandra Zakhvatayev
November 21, 2024 at 7:01 pm
Congratulations to the Honorable Pam Bondi for the AG pick for the USA gov! Hope you can lead the DOJ out of that corrupt and gaping black hole it’s been run down into these last few years.
The Cat In The MAGA Hat
November 21, 2024 at 7:50 pm
The DOJ only saw how corrupt Trump was and still in
PeterH
November 21, 2024 at 7:04 pm
Pam Bondi, another hateful regressive for the Trump kabuki theater.
Red Storm
November 21, 2024 at 7:07 pm
Ha! Ha! You and Mark Cuban have egg on your face.
PeterH
November 21, 2024 at 7:24 pm
YET ANOTHER UNVETTED KLOWN HAS ENTERED INTO THE BIG TENT…….
A recent lawsuit alleges Linda McMahon, who President-elect Donald Trump tapped to lead the Department of Education, knowingly enabled the sexual exploitation of children by a World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) employee as early as the 1980s — STAY TUNED.
ScienceBLVR
November 21, 2024 at 7:09 pm
Bondi was an ineffective feckless AG in FL spending all of her time fighting useless culture wars and doing nothing for Floridians. Love to see the bill for all the taxpayers funds she wasted here.. and then there’s the dog stealing from Katrina displaced family. What kind of person refuses to return a dog to its rightful owners? They had to threaten to sue to get the dog back. I guess she fits right in with the MAGA agenda.
PeterH
November 21, 2024 at 7:15 pm
Exactly…..like we need a Trump impeachment defense lawyer as attorney general. 🙄
Red Storm
November 21, 2024 at 7:41 pm
I have been paying school taxes forever and my kids never attended public school. Then there is ScienceBLVR on this board typing away when school is in session. Can I get my money back?
The Cat In The MAGA Hat
November 21, 2024 at 7:49 pm
Your kids will grow up ignorant like you,I.hope not
The Cat In The MAGA Hat
November 21, 2024 at 7:46 pm
Fake blond skank.trash
Red Storm
November 21, 2024 at 7:54 pm
Hilarious how Repub women get attacked but when you give us someone as dumb as Kammy we must respeck her. LMFAO.
Paul
November 21, 2024 at 8:57 pm
She’s Florida Swamp.
Leonard
November 24, 2024 at 8:28 am
Ashley Moody would have been a better pick. She is intelligent, principled, and has a stellar reputation. Bondi is a step up from Gaetz but if they did deep enough (going back to how many times she failed the Bar exam) there are skeletons to be found. Bondi likely gets confirmed on a party line vote.
Comments are closed.