Pam Bondi, a former Florida lawyer common and a staunch loyalist to President Donald Trump, has been confirmed as lawyer common by the Senate.
In a 54-46 vote Tuesday, the Senate confirmed Bondi to guide the Justice Division. The vote fell alongside occasion strains, with the only exception of Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., who joined the Republicans in favor of affirmation.
Bondi, who was picked after former Rep. Matt Gaetz’s nomination flamed out, confronted a comparatively clean affirmation listening to. Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee questioned her about whether or not she could be keen to behave independently of Trump, who has traditionally sought to bend his attorneys common to his will. She simply dodged some troublesome questions and pleaded ignorance to others.
Bondi represented Trump in his first impeachment trial and has stood by him all through his varied authorized troubles. She additionally backed his unfounded claims of widespread election fraud in 2020. Because the nation’s high prosecutor, she’s going to serve in a job that has proved difficult underneath Trump previously.
Throughout his first time period, Trump’s relationship along with his first lawyer common, Jeff Classes, rapidly soured after Classes recused himself from the DOJ investigation into Russian interference and potential collusion with the Trump marketing campaign within the 2016 election. Trump repeatedly attacked Classes, prompting him to difficulty uncommon public statements asserting his independence.
Trump’s subsequent lawyer common, William Barr, was arguably extra obliging towards the president. Nonetheless, Barr resigned a month earlier than Trump’s time period ended after disputing his election fraud claims in 2020.
President Joe Biden’s lawyer common, Merrick Garland, was additionally a frequent goal of Trump’s — as was particular counsel Jack Smith, who led two felony investigations into Trump’s conduct. Smith resigned forward of Trump’s inauguration, and Trump on Tuesday fired a number of DOJ workers who labored on these circumstances.
Bondi might not face the identical challenges that earlier attorneys common have needed to deal with. Whereas she testified throughout her affirmation listening to that “my responsibility … will probably be to the Structure and america of America,” she has proven fierce loyalty to Trump previously.
It is a growing story. Examine again for updates.
Clarissa-Jan Lim
Clarissa-Jan Lim is a breaking/trending information blogger for MSNBC Digital. She was beforehand a senior reporter and editor at BuzzFeed Information.