WASHINGTON — Three witnesses in support of Pam Bondi spoke about her love for people and the law, while two others expressed concern for the nominee’s ability to remain impartial, marking the second day of the confirmation for Attorney General.
Offering a subdued shift from the tense tone Wednesday, only slightly more than half of all senators on the Judiciary Committee attended the hearing as most lawmakers rotated in and out of the room during testimony.
The Judiciary Committee hammered on Bondi’s ability to remain apolitical.
“She really shielded me from the politics,” said Fla. Statewide Prosecutor Nicholas Cox when describing his time working with the nominee. “With all due respect, prosecutors, we don’t really want to be politicians.”
Lisa Gilbert, an opposition witness and president of the advocacy organization Public Citizen, said “it’s easy to see” how Bondi’s recent lobbying for corporate clients and foreign governments will inform her work in the Justice Department.
“This level of corporate entanglement just speaks to exactly the wrong incentives,” Gilbert said.
In his opening remarks, ranking member Dick Durbin (D–Ill.) spoke about Bondi’s repeated refusal to state that Trump lost the 2020 election.
“She was unable to say, just expressly, ‘Yes. Joe Biden received more votes than Donald Trump and was elected President in 2020.’” he said. “When a nominee for Attorney General is afraid to state a simple fact, then what does it say about the future of our democracy and the credibility of our system of justice?”
Witnesses supporting Bondi repeatedly spoke about her personal character.
“She has a real human touch about her,” said former Florida State Sen. Dave Aronberg (D), who added that he voted for Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election.
As witnesses testified about Bondi’s legal experience, senators from both parties agreed on Bondi’s qualifications.
With a Republican majority on the Committee, Bondi’s confirmation appears likely, a win for Trump after his original pick, Matt Gaetz, withdrew from consideration days before the release of an ethics report detailing allegations of sexual misconduct and drug abuse while a member of Congress.
“She’s going to be confirmed. There’s no doubt about it,” said Sen. Katie Britt (R–Ala.) following the hearing.
