Topline
President-elect Donald Trump nominated former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi as U.S. attorney general Thursday, making the pick just hours after former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., withdrew from consideration amid a flurry of sexual misconduct allegations.
Bondi was nominated as AG on Thursday evening. (Photo by MANDEL NGAN / AFP) (Photo by MANDEL … [+]
Key Facts
Bondi, 59, will be tasked with refocusing “the DOJ to its intended purpose of fighting Crime, and Making America Safe Again,” Trump said in a statement.
Bondi has worked as a prosecutor for more than 18 years, according to her profile page at the Ballard Partners lobbying firm, where she now works, and served as Florida’s attorney general from 2011 to 2019 and was a part of Trump’s legal team during his 2020 impeachment trial.
Bondi is also a 2020 election denier who insisted Trump won Pennsylvania (he lost the state to President Joe Biden by about 81,000 votes) and oversaw voting-related lawsuits following the election, according to The New York Times.
The former Florida AG was once accused of taking a $25,000 donation allegedly linked to her office’s decision to not investigate alleged fraud at Trump University, though she denied the donation’s link to the inaction and avoided charges over a bribery complaint that fell flat in Florida in 2017.
Bondi also served on Trump’s short-lived Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis during his prior administration, which was chaired by former New Jersey Republican Gov. Chris Christie.
Bondi made speaking appearances at some Trump rallies during the latter days of the president-elect’s campaign.
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Surprising Fact
Bondi’s selection Thursday evening was somewhat unexpected, with figures like Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey and Trump attorney Todd Blanche considered among the top contenders for the role after Gaetz withdrew.
Key Background
Trump has made a swath of Cabinet picks within the last two weeks, nominating campaign allies and loyalists to top positions at agencies like the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Defense. One of Trump’s first picks was Gaetz, who he controversially tapped to head the Justice Department. Following his nomination, the former congressman faced increased scrutiny over allegations he paid for sex and had sexual relations with a minor. The House Ethics Committee has investigated the allegations since last year and was set to release details on its probe before Gaetz resigned from Congress, removing him from the purview of the committee’s investigation. Gaetz removed himself from consideration Thursday amid further scrutiny, opening the attorney general position to Bondi.
Tangent
Gaetz praised the pick in a tweet Thursday evening, calling it a “stellar selection” and labeling Bondi “an inspiring leader and a champion for all Americans.”
Further Reading
Trump’s Cabinet And Key Jobs: Pam Bondi Picked For AG After Gaetz Withdraws (Forbes)
