Senate Votes to Advance Pam Bondi’s Nomination – One Final Hurdle Remains
The Senate is poised to hold a final confirmation vote for Pam Bondi, nominated to be President Donald Trump’s attorney general, following a procedural vote that passed with a 52 to 46 majority.This vote limits the debate on her nomination, making the final confirmation expected soon. Bondi, who previously served as Florida’s attorney general from 2011-2019 and worked as an attorney for Trump during his first impeachment trial, faces scrutiny from Democrats who have raised concerns about her questioning of the 2020 election results.
Despite this, several Republican senators defended her position, asserting that questioning an election’s results does not equate to being an election denier. They emphasize her acceptance of President Biden’s victory during her hearing.Some Democrats have also questioned her independence, suggesting that her loyalty to Trump could pose challenges if she were asked to act unconstitutionally. However, Republican leaders argue that loyalty to a president should not disqualify someone from serving in a cabinet position.
The context of her nomination is underscored by recent efforts from the Trump administration to restructure its legal team and remove federal prosecutors considered unsupportive of Trump’s agenda,reflecting ongoing tensions from previous investigations.
Members of the Senate are expected to cast a final vote on the nomination of Pam Bondi to serve as President Donald Trump’s attorney general following a procedural vote on Monday.
Lawmakers voted 52 to 46 in favor of limiting debate on the nomination, according to The Hill.
Without an agreement with the Democrats, that means a final confirmation vote can be expected for early Wednesday morning.
Bondi, who served as the attorney general of Florida between 2011 and 2019, previously worked as an attorney for Trump during his first impeachment trial.
She also led the legal arm of the America First Policy Institute, a think tank supportive of Trump’s agenda.
During her confirmation hearing last month, Bondi faced pressure from Democrats who noted that she questioned the results of the 2020 election.
But several Republicans defended her.
“On multiple occasions during her hearing, Ms. Bondi stated that President Biden was the president, and that she quote-unquote accepted the results,” Iowa Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley, who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, told his colleagues, as noted by The Hill.
“As I said during the hearing, questioning the results of an election does not make one an election denier,” he added.
Several Democrats also questioned her ability to remain independent if Trump asks her to commit an illegal or unconstitutional act.
Grassley also rebuked those questions.
“Some of my colleagues also suggest that Miss Bondi’s loyalty to President Trump is somehow disqualifying,” Grassley continued. “It is not persuasive in any way. There’s nothing wrong with President Trump appointing someone who seriously defended him to a high position.”
Grassley added that “Ms. Bondi publicly supported President Trump, just like 77 million Americans who voted him back into office in November.”
“So this too is not a disqualifying attribute,” he noted.
The Trump administration has indeed cracked down on federal prosecutors and other senior federal officials involved in lawfare against the returning commander-in-chief.
Several prosecutors who worked for special counsel Jack Smith, who resigned days before Trump took office, were told in a letter last week from Acting Attorney General James McHenry that they cannot be “trusted” to “faithfully” advance the agenda of the new administration.
“You played a significant role in prosecuting President Trump. The proper functioning of government critically depends on the trust superior officials place in their subordinates,” McHenry wrote.
“Given your significant role in prosecuting the President, I do not believe that the leadership of the Department can trust you to assist in implementing the President’s agenda faithfully,” he added.
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