‘Highly qualified’: Former state attorneys general ask Senate to confirm Pam Bondi to justice
FIRST ON FOX: A group of more than 60 former Democratic and Republican attorneys general sent a new letter Thursday to Senate leaders urging the confirmation of Pam Bondi to head the Justice Department, praising what they described as Bondi’s extensive prosecutorial experience — including her eight years as Florida’s attorney general — which they said made her especially qualified for the role.
The letter was exclusively reviewed by Fox News Digital and includes the signatures of more than 20 Democratic attorneys general or state attorneys appointed by Democratic governors.
The group praised Bondi’s work across party and state borders during her time as Florida Attorney General and as Hillsborough County State’s Attorney, where she served for 18 years.
“Many of us have worked directly with Attorney General Bondi and have firsthand knowledge of her fitness for office,” the former attorney general said in the letter. “We believe her extensive prosecutorial experience and commitment to public service make General Bondi a highly qualified candidate for United States Attorney General.”
MORE THAN 100 FORMER JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS URGE SENATE TO CONFIRM PAM BONDI AS AG
Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi speaks during a news conference during a break from the silent trial of Donald Trump outside Criminal Court in Manhattan on May 21, 2024. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
The letter praised what the signatories described as Bondi’s “unwavering” commitment to public safety and the rule of law during her time in the Sunshine State, where she sought to curb violent crime, protect consumers and combat the opioid crisis—which was at its height when she was elected state prosecutor in 2010.
Bondi “was and remains a valued and respected member of the attorney general’s community,” they wrote. “We are therefore confident that she will serve with distinction as Attorney General of the United States.”
The letter comes just hours after the Senate Judiciary Committee announced the official dates for Bondi’s confirmation hearing later this month.
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Department of Justice headquarters in Washington, DC (Xinhua/Liu Jie via Getty Images)
Bondi is expected to be confirmed in the House with a Republican majority. Earlier this week, the group more than 100 former officials of the Ministry of Justice sent a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee seeking her confirmation.
Still, the new letter of support from the attorney general’s office comes just hours after the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., issued a statement Wednesday night expressing new reservations about Bondi following their meeting — citing in particular Bondi’s work defending President-elect Donald Trump in his impeachment proceedings and after the 2020 election.
Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., the ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, is considered the leading Senate opponent of Pam Bondi’s confirmation. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
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“The attorney general’s role is to oversee an independent Department of Justice that upholds the rule of law and is free from undue political influence,” Durbin said in a statement.
“Given Ms. Bondi’s responses to my questions, I remain concerned about her ability to serve as an attorney general who will take the oath of office to the Constitution before her. loyalty to Donald Trump.”
