Former Florida Legal professional Basic Pam Bondi speaks throughout the annual Conservative Political Motion Convention assembly on Feb. 23 in Nationwide Harbor, Md.
Mandel Ngan/AFP through Getty Pictures
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Mandel Ngan/AFP through Getty Pictures
President-elect Donald Trump has named Pam Bondi, a former lawyer basic of Florida, as his subsequent choose for U.S. lawyer basic.
Bondi, who served as Florida’s prime prosecutor from 2011 to 2019, is a longtime ally of Trump’s and was one of his lawyers throughout his first impeachment trial. She leads the authorized arm of the America First Coverage Institute, a assume tank arrange by former staffers from Trump’s first presidency.
In an announcement asserting the choice, Trump stated: “Pam was a prosecutor for almost 20 years, the place she was very powerful on Violent Criminals, and made the streets protected for Florida Households. Then, as Florida’s first feminine Legal professional Basic, she labored to cease the trafficking of lethal medicine, and scale back the tragedy of Fentanyl Overdose Deaths, which have destroyed many households throughout our Nation. She did such an unbelievable job, that I requested her to serve on our Opioid and Drug Abuse Fee throughout my first Time period — We saved many lives!”
Trump added: “For too lengthy, the partisan Division of Justice has been weaponized towards me and different Republicans — Not anymore. Pam will refocus the DOJ to its meant goal of combating Crime, and Making America Secure Once more.”
The Division of Justice has been key to Trump’s agenda for his second time period as he doubtlessly seeks to make the division extra accountable to the president and go after his perceived enemies. Trump’s Vice President-elect JD Vance called the position of lawyer basic a very powerful job within the subsequent administration, after the president.
Whoever winds up within the position must implement Trump’s agenda whereas additionally overseeing the day-to-day operations of a division of greater than 115,000 people, which prosecutes crimes, polices companies, protects civil rights and defends U.S. legal guidelines throughout all aspects of presidency.
Bondi’s choice continues Trump’s follow of selecting his former legal professionals for senior roles in his new administration. Final week, he picked former federal prosecutor Todd Blanche as his deputy lawyer basic and Emil Bove as principal affiliate deputy lawyer basic, who can be performing deputy lawyer basic whereas Blanche is awaiting affirmation. Each males defended Trump in his authorized circumstances, together with the New York felony case by which a jury discovered him responsible of 34 felony counts. Trump has not been sentenced in that case.
The choice of former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, Trump’s prior choose for lawyer basic, confronted controversy from the day he was chosen final week, stemming from allegations that he participated in intercourse events, used unlawful medicine and had intercourse with a minor — allegations that Gaetz has persistently denied. The FBI investigated these fees starting in 2021, however the Justice Division by no means introduced fees.
Some lawmakers had been additionally involved Gaetz lacked the temperament and expertise to steer a division, which has lengthy valued its independence and impartiality in implementing the regulation.
