President-elect Donald Trump announced Thursday evening that former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi is his pick for U.S. attorney general, hours after former congressman Matt Gaetz withdrew himself from consideration.
“I am proud to announce former Attorney General of the Great State of Florida, Pam Bondi, as our next Attorney General of the United States,” Mr. Trump said in a statement, adding that she was “smart and tough” and “will do a terrific job.”
“For too long, the partisan Department of Justice has been weaponized against me and other Republicans — not anymore,” Mr. Trump said. “Pam will refocus the DOJ to its intended purpose of fighting crime and Making America Safe Again.”
Ms. Bondi, 59, was the first woman to serve as Florida’s attorney general, spending eight years in the role after working as assistant state attorney in Hillsborough County. In the position she held until 2019, she focused on curbing illegal immigration and combating the opioid epidemic.
She also worked in the Trump White House as both a legal advisor and defense attorney for Mr. Trump during the Senate’s 2020 impeachment trial. Ms. Bondi was also a surrogate on Mr. Trump’s most recent campaign and previously worked on a Trump commission focusing on ending the opioid crisis and combatting drug addiction.
Ms. Bondi was also a vocal critic of Jack Smith, the special counsel appointed by the Justice Department who brought criminal charges against Mr. Trump in two federal cases. In a media appearance, she blasted Mr. Smith and his team as “horrible” people and accused them of trying to become celebrities by “weaponizing our legal system” against Mr. Trump.
SEE ALSO: Bondi replaces Gaetz as Trump’s pick for attorney general, removes ‘distraction’
Mr. Smith resigned earlier this month, effectively ending the cases.
If confirmed by the GOP-controlled Senate early next year, Ms. Bondi would be one of the critical Cabinet members tasked with carrying out Mr. Trump’s agenda. The president-elect has pledged to reduce crime, curb illegal immigration and pursue legal retribution against his political enemies. She would also have jurisdiction over the prosecutions of the Trump supporters charged in the Jan. 6, 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol.
The announcement of Ms. Bondi’s nomination comes after Mr. Gaetz, the president-elect’s first choice to head the Justice Department, withdrew from consideration. In a statement, Mr. Gaetz said his confirmation was “unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance Transition.”
Mr. Gaetz faced allegations of drug use and sexual misconduct, including that he had sex with a 17-year-old girl. He has denied the allegations.
Mr. Gaetz faced allegations of drug use and sexual misconduct, including that he had sex with a 17-year-old girl. He has denied the allegations.
After Mr. Gaetz dropped out, several names had surfaced as potential replacements including Sen. Mike Lee, Utah Republican; Mike Davis, who leads the Article III Project, which advocates for conservative judges; Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and legal strategist Mark Paoletta.
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.
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