Pam Bondi likely won’t be confirmed as Attorney General before February. Here’s why
Attorney General nominee Pam Bondi. Image via AP.

Bondi
Democrats are using holds to delay quick votes on the Cabinet nominee.

The Senate may have to wait until the first week of February to confirm Pam Bondi as Attorney General.

A Senate Judiciary Committee meeting was canceled Wednesday after the Democratic Minority Office placed a hold on Bondi’s confirmation. That’s a common legislative tactic on the committee to delay votes on nominations, but can only stave off meetings for a week.

Democrats will likely continue to review Bondi’s background in the meantime, but another meeting is expected to take place Jan. 29.

At that point, the committee is expected to recommend Bondi’s confirmation in a floor vote. Republicans hold a Senate majority and Republicans outnumber Democrats on the committee, 12 to 10.

No Republican Senators have publicly leveled criticism at Bondi, a different response than was directed at President Donald Trump’s first pick for the job, former U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz. Ultimately, Gaetz withdrew from consideration early in the confirmation process.

Democrats have challenged Bondi, whom Trump nominated in November. In a confirmation hearing last week, Democrats questioned the former Florida Attorney General on potential conflicts of interest from her lobbying career, potential loyalty to Trump over the Constitution, and most pointedly, her representation of Trump when he challenged the outcome of the 2020 election.

The Majority Office for the Committee notably issued a point-by-point counter of those critiques with quotes from Bondi in the hearing.

All this points to a likely positive recommendation from the committee when Bondi’s nomination heads to the floor. But Democrats again can stall the process. A day after a committee vote, Majority Leader John Thune can bring her confirmation to the floor, but must negotiate an agreement with Democrats on time for debate.

That likely means any floor vote will be delayed until Feb. 4 or 5, according to officials close to the process. At that point, both sides will debate Bondi’s pros and cons.

The process is not unusual, officials said, and is a likely model that many of Trump’s nominations will follow. That’s different from the glide path enjoyed by fellow Floridian Marco Rubio, who was a member of the Senate until his unanimous confirmation this week as Secretary of State.

Jacob Ogles

Jacob Ogles has covered politics in Florida since 2000 for regional outlets including SRQ Magazine in Sarasota, The News-Press in Fort Myers and The Daily Commercial in Leesburg. His work has appeared nationally in The Advocate, Wired and other publications. Events like SRQ’s Where The Votes Are workshops made Ogles one of Southwest Florida’s most respected political analysts, and outlets like WWSB ABC 7 and WSRQ Sarasota have featured his insights. He can be reached at [email protected].


4 comments

  • GeeWoo

    January 22, 2025 at 2:03 pm

    Thank goodness DeGovernor is in the batters circle for AG and SecDef. What a dilemma the Leftists have on these key appointments. He’d make a good HHS Sec too, but DJT won’t put him there due to his truthfulness on the C19 shots.

    Reply

  • Earl Pitts, "The Most Sage" Amerian

    January 22, 2025 at 2:37 pm

    Good Afternoon, Sage Patriots & Earl’s Besty Leftys who crossed party lines and voted for Trump,
    LET NOT YOUR HEARTS BE TROUBLED:
    I, Earl Pitts Amerian, have already had a “Come To Earl Meeting’ with all members of The Senate and advised them, one & all – be they Sage Patriots or Dook 4 Brains Leftys, that they will, 100% be primaried should they cross me, Earl Pitts Amerian, and fail to confirm Pam.
    IN CLOSING:
    You may all Relax Your Political Sphincters, secure in the knowledge that, “EARL’S GOT THIS.
    Thank you, Sage Patriots & Earl’s Besty Leftys who crossed party lines and voted for Trump,
    *WAKE UP AMERICA*
    Earl Pitts Amerian

    Reply

    • JD

      January 22, 2025 at 4:14 pm

      Good Afternoon, Shitts,

      Ah, it’s comforting to know that the mighty Earl Pitts Amerian (with an “e” for extra gravitas) has personally convened a “Come to Earl Meeting” with the Senate. Truly, the Golden Shower Age of diplomacy is upon us.

      But alas, not even your capslock powers or dire primary threats can turn Pam into DOJ material. Seems even the Sage Patriots and Dook 4 Brains Leftys know a trainwreck when they see one.

      IN CLOSING: Rest assured, we’re all relaxing our political sphincters just fine—mostly from laughing too hard.

      WAKE UP SHITTS,
      JD, A Proud Member of the Reality-Based Community

      Reply

      • GeeWoo

        January 22, 2025 at 4:59 pm

        Not sure why you can post SHITTS and I can’t post L!b T^rds. Probably bias with FP.

        Reply

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