Pam Bondi for President-elect Donald Trump Pick She plans to tell the Senate Judiciary Committee that if she is confirmed as attorney general, "the partisan weaponization of the Justice Department will end," according to her opening statement, obtained exclusively by CBS News.
"America must provide a layer of justice for all," the former Florida attorney general will assure.
The announcement comes as Democrats are expected to question the president-elect's close allies about the potential for her to weaponize the Justice Department against Trump's political opponents, including Presidents Biden and Trump . former special prosecutor jack smith.
long-time prosecutor who represents The president-elect said during her first impeachment trial that her "number one goal" was to "return the Justice Department to its core mission" and vowed to take the department "back to the basics - prosecuting violent crime and gang activity and stopping crimes against children." ". predators and drug traffickers, protect our country from terrorists and other foreign threats, and solve the overwhelming crisis at the border. "
While seeking the top law enforcement job in the nation, Bundy also plans to target the Bureau of Prisons, promising to reduce recidivism and Reform federal agencies chronically suffering from understaffing, abuse and disrepair.
“We must overhaul the Bureau of Prisons and deliver on the promise of the First Step Act by building new halfway houses,” Bondi wrote in prepared remarks, referencing the president-elect’s signature criminal justice reform law . Signed by then-President Trump 2018which aims to reduce incarceration and federal spending but has been plagued by continued implementation failures.
"The bureau has been mismanaged, underfunded and demoralized for years," Bundy planned to tell lawmakers Wednesday. "Federal correctional officers work under challenging conditions for minimal wages and need more support. Our prison system can and will Do better."
Echoing the president-elect's promise of a "new golden age," Bondi will tell the panel of lawmakers that Trump "is not afraid to do things that are deemed 'too hard' and work across party lines" to address criminal justice reform .
trump card Select Bondi He will be the nominee for U.S. attorney general after his first choice was former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz. withdrew his name from consideration. Bondi made history in 2010 as Florida's first female attorney general and was an early supporter of Trump during his first campaign for the White House in 2016.
Recalling her early years "as an intern at the Hillsborough County State's Attorney's Office," Bundy will highlight her 18 years of experience as a prosecutor and two terms as Florida's attorney general, which she claims The experience is defined by a fight to eliminate drug dealers in a state "overwhelmed by pill mills and opioid deaths." Bundy during his tenure as Florida's top cop established Prescription Drug Monitoring Program, which requires opioid prescribing clinics to register with the state and have a physician.
"On the civil side, we work hard to protect consumers," Project Bondi said, praising her efforts to address "the overreach of big tech companies."
If confirmed as attorney general, Bondi would inherit a series of legal actions against the world's largest technology companies, including ongoing litigation TikTok and the Justice Department continue to defend a law that would force its parent company to sell the platform entirely.
In the weeks leading up to his confirmation hearing, Bundy walked the halls of Capitol Hill, attending back-to-back meetings with senators. Unlike Trump's Gates, she is not expected to face major hurdles in confirmation by the Republican-led Senate.
Considered one of Trump's less controversial options new cabinetDemocrats are still likely to investigate Bondi's interpretation of his role as attorney general and his commitment to the Justice Department's independence.
The hearing comes after Sen. Dick Durbin, the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, met with Bondi last week. He accused Trump of using the Justice Department as his personal law firm and expressed concern that she might prioritize her case against Trump. Loyalty rather than loyalty to Bundy. constitution.
"The Department of Justice must also renew its defense of the fundamental rights of all Americans, including freedom of speech, freedom of religion and the right to bear arms," Bondi plans to say in a speech to the committee. President-elect's slogan. "This is what the American people expect and deserve from the Department of Defense. If confirmed, I will do whatever it takes to make America safe again."
The hearing is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Wednesday.