NEW YORK – Pam Bondi, the previous Florida legal professional basic, was chosen Thursday by Donald Trump to function U.S. attorney general hours after his first selection, Matt Gaetz, withdrew from consideration after a federal intercourse trafficking investigation and ethics probe made his capability to be confirmed doubtful.
The 59-year-old has lengthy been in Trump’s orbit and her identify had been floated throughout his first time period as a possible candidate for the nation’s highest regulation enforcement function.
If confirmed by the Republican-led Senate, Bondi would immediately change into one of the intently watched members of Trump’s Cupboard given the Republican’s threat to pursue retribution against perceived adversaries and concern amongst Democrats that he’ll look to bend the Justice Division to his will.
Here is a number of issues to learn about Bondi:
She’s lengthy been a fixture in Trump’s world
Bondi has been a longtime and early ally. In March 2016, on the eve of the Republican main in Florida, Bondi endorsed Trump at a rally, choosing him over the candidate from her personal state, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio.
She gained nationwide consideration with appearances on Fox Information as a defender of Trump and had a notable talking spot at 2016 Republican Nationwide Conference as Trump grew to become the occasion’s stunning nominee. Throughout the remarks, some within the crowd started chanting “Lock her up” about Trump’s Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.
Bondi responded by saying, “‘Lock her up,’ I really like that.”
As Trump ready to maneuver into the White Home, she served on his first transition staff.
When Trump’s first legal professional basic, Jeff Classes, was ousted in 2018, Bondi’s identify was floated as a potential candidate for the job. Trump on the time stated he would “love” Bondi to affix the administration. He finally chosen William Barr as an alternative.
She stored a toehold in Trump’s orbit thereafter, together with after he left workplace. She served as a chairwoman of America First Coverage Institute, a suppose tank arrange by former Trump administration staffers to put the groundwork if he received a second time period.
She was Florida’s first feminine legal professional basic
Bondi made historical past in 2010 when she was elected as Florida’s first feminine legal professional basic. Although the Tampa native spent greater than 18 years as a prosecutor within the Hillsborough County State Legal professional’s Workplace, she was a political unknown when she held the state’s high regulation enforcement job.
Bondi was elevated within the main after she was endorsed by former Alaska governor and vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin.
She campaigned on a message to make use of the state’s high authorized workplace in a strong manner, difficult then-President Barack Obama’s signature well being care regulation. She additionally referred to as for her state to undertake Arizona’s “present me your papers” immigration regulation that sparked nationwide debate.
As Florida’s high prosecutor, Bondi burdened human trafficking points and urged tightening state legal guidelines towards traffickers. She held the job from 2011 to 2019.
She labored as a lobbyist for each U.S. and international shoppers
Bondi labored as a lobbyist for Ballard Companions, the highly effective Florida-based agency the place Trump’s marketing campaign chief and incoming chief of employees Susie Wiles was a accomplice. Her U.S. shoppers have included Normal Motors, the commissioner of Main League Baseball and a Christian anti-human-trafficking advocacy group.
She additionally lobbied for a Kuwaiti agency, based on Justice Division international agent filings and congressional lobbying paperwork. She registered as a international agent for the federal government of Qatar; her work was associated to anti-human-trafficking efforts main as much as the World Cup, held in 2022.
Bondi additionally represented the KGL Funding Firm KSCC, a Kuwaiti agency also referred to as KGLI, lobbying the White Home, Nationwide Safety Council, State Division and Congress on immigration coverage, human rights and financial sanctions points.
She defended Trump throughout his first impeachment trial
Bondi stepped away from lobbying to serve on Trump’s authorized staff throughout his first impeachment trial in 2020.
He was accused — but not convicted — of abuse of power for allegedly pressuring the president of Ukraine to research his Democratic rivals whereas essential U.S. safety assist was being withheld. He was additionally charged with obstruction of Congress for stonewalling investigative efforts.
Trump wished Ukraine’s president to publicly decide to investigating Joe Biden’s son Hunter Biden, who served on the board of a Ukrainian fuel firm. He pushed for the investigation whereas holding up practically $400 million in army assist.
Bondi was introduced on to bolster the White Home’s messaging and communications. Trump and his allies sought to delegitimize the impeachment from the beginning, aiming to brush off the entire thing as a farce.
She’s been vital of the prison instances towards Trump
Bondi has been a vocal critic of the prison instances towards Trump in addition to Jack Smith, the particular counsel who charged Trump in two federal instances. In a single radio look, she blasted Smith and different prosecutors who’ve charged Trump as “horrible” individuals she stated had been attempting to make names for themselves by “going after Donald Trump and weaponizing our authorized system.”
It’s unlikely that Bondi could be confirmed in time to overlap with Smith, who introduced two federal indictments towards Trump that are both expected to wind down before the incoming president takes office. Particular counsels are anticipated to supply stories on their work that traditionally are made public, but it surely stays unclear when such a doc could be launched.
Bondi was additionally amongst a bunch of Republicans who confirmed as much as help Trump at his hush cash prison trial in New York that led to Could with a conviction on 34 felony counts.
As president, Trump demanded investigations into political opponents like Hillary Clinton and sought to make use of the regulation enforcement powers of the Justice Division to advance his personal pursuits, together with in attempting to overturn the outcomes of the 2020 election. Bondi seems prone to oblige him.
She would inherit a Justice Division anticipated to pivot sharply on civil rights, company enforcement and the prosecutions of a whole bunch of Trump supporters charged within the Jan. 6, 2021, riot on the U.S. Capitol — defendants whom Trump has pledged to pardon.
She’s had a number of of her personal political points
Bondi issued a public apology in 2013 whereas serving as legal professional basic after she sought to delay the execution of a convicted killer as a result of it conflicted with a fundraiser for her reelection marketing campaign.
The legal professional basic, representing the state in dying row appeals, sometimes stays out there on the date of execution instances in case of any last-minute authorized points.
Bondi later stated she was improper and sorry for requesting then-Gov. Rick Scott push again the execution of Marshall Lee Gore by three weeks.
Bondi personally solicited a 2013 political contribution from Trump as her workplace was weighing whether or not to affix New York in suing over fraud allegations involving Trump College.
Trump cut a $25,000 check to a political committee supporting Bondi from his household’s charitable basis, in violation of authorized prohibitions towards charities supporting partisan political actions. After the verify got here in, Bondi’s workplace nixed suing Trump’s firm for fraud, citing inadequate grounds to proceed. Each Trump and Bondi denied wrongdoing.
Two days earlier than being sworn in as president in January 2017, Trump paid $25 million to settle three lawsuits alleging Trump College defrauded its college students.
Trump additionally paid a $2,500 fine to the IRS over the unlawful political donation to help Bondi from the Donald J. Trump Basis, which he was forced to dissolve amid an investigation by the state of New York.
A Florida prosecutor assigned by then-GOP Gov. Rick Scott later decided there was insufficient evidence to support bribery charges towards Trump and Bondi over the $25,000 donation.
___
Lengthy reported from Washington. Related Press author Michael Biesecker contributed to this report.
Copyright 2024 The Related Press. All rights reserved. This materials might not be revealed, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed with out permission.
