Donald Trump’s nominee for attorney general, Pam Bondi, said she would not use the U.S. Department of Justice to target people based on their political views during her confirmation hearing Wednesday.
“There will never be an enemies list within the Justice Department,” she told senators as she was repeatedly pressed on her loyalty to Trump. “I will not politicize this office.”
But Bondi, who would become the nation’s top law enforcement official if confirmed to the post by a Senate vote, has not directly ruled out opening investigations into who the president-elect is with was in conflict.
“It would be irresponsible for me to make a commitment on anything,” she said when asked if she would investigate Jack Smith, who led two criminal cases against Trump.
Trump repeatedly threatened to investigate and possibly prosecute his political enemies during the election campaign.
Bondi, who is expected to be confirmed as the 87th U.S. attorney general given the Republican majority in the chamber, stressed throughout the hearing that she would remain independent.
But she echoed Trump’s view that the federal charges against him were political persecution, saying the department “had been weaponized for years and years.”
Iowa Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley said the department had become “infected with political decision-making” and said it had been “weaponized” under the Biden administration, particularly against Trump.
These descriptions were repeated by other Republican members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Bondi agreed with their assessment.
Questions from Democratic senators focused on whether Bondi would say no to the president-elect.
“The concern is that the militarization of the Justice Department may well occur under your watch,” Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse said in Bondi. “We want to make sure that’s not the case, that you remain independent.”
They also focused part of their questioning on FBI director nominee Kash Patel, who, if confirmed, would report to Bondi.
The FBI nominee said he has an “enemies list” of people he would go after if confirmed. Several senators asked Bondi about the comments, but she said she had not heard them and that the Justice Department would not have such a list.
Bondi also told the commission that she would consider possible pardons for the Capitol rioters “on a case-by-case basis” but added that she condemned “any violence against a law enforcement officer in this country.” .
The Attorney General is the head of the Department of Justice, which enforces federal laws. If confirmed in this position, Bondi will provide legal advice and opinions to the president and heads of executive departments.
His confirmation vote has not yet been scheduled, but is expected in the coming days.
On Wednesday, senators also questioned Marco Rubio, who is expected to be confirmed as Trump’s secretary of state.
He warned that Washington must change course to avoid becoming more dependent on China and promised to rethink American foreign policy to focus on American interests.
