Assessing President Donald Trump‘s second choice to run the Department of Justice, Pam Bondi, The Economist magazine characterized the former Florida Attorney General as a “relatively safe pair of hands” for the job. (Trump’s first choice, former Congressman Matt Gaetz, received no such accolade in his brief moment of AG viability.)
Bondi, the magazine writes, looks to have a smooth confirmation path as one of Trump’s least divisive and most qualified nominees, pointing out that making Bondi look like a lock are deliberately controversial Trump picks like Pete Hegseth and Kristi Noem, whose respective CVs make Bondi’s look pristine.
Describing Bondi’s nomination prospects, The Economist avers that “unlike some of her fellow cabinet nominees, the 59-year-old does not profess any bizarre ideology or seem to give foreign dictators the benefit of the doubt. Democrats instead worry about her long-standing loyalty to Mr. Trump and her cozy relationships with corporate interests.”
The magazine quotes Sen. Dick Durbin, the Illinois Democrat, from Bondi’s confirmation vetting: “At issue,” said Durbin, “is your ability to say no [to Trump].”
Now concerning perhaps the biggest issue confronting any incoming U.S. Attorney General, Bondi won’t get the chance to say no.
Trump, having campaigned on pardoning those convicted of crimes during the January 6 Capitol attack, took that burden away from Bondi before she even assumed her office — as he issued pardons for “approximately” 1,500 January 6 “hostages” — as Trump calls them — men and women who pleaded guilty or were found so by a jury for January 6 crimes.
Pam Bondi, last week on pardons for Jan 6 offenders: “I will look at every case on a case-by-case basis”
Donald Trump, yesterday: “Full pardons”
No review. No accountability. Nothing. pic.twitter.com/4q95vfau4G
— Adam Schiff (@SenAdamSchiff) January 21, 2025
Bondi had been asked how she would handle these convictions as Attorney General, and she asserted that she would handle them on a case-by-case basis, a process that has been obviated by Trump’s broad pardon issuance.
Critics say Trump pulled the rug out from under Bondi and her pledge to administer justice; supporters see the President as having freed Bondi from the responsibility.
Newly elected U.S. Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA), who as a Congressman was one of Trump’s chief antagonists in the House, slammed Trump’s clemency grant, saying “No review. No accountability. Nothing.”