Pam Bondi Selected as Fourth Former Trump Lawyer for Justice Department
Donald Trump’s nomination of Pam Bondi, the former Attorney General of Florida, to be the next U.S. Attorney General signals the fourth time a former lawyer who defended Trump has been chosen for a significant position within the Justice Department.
Previously, Trump had nominated his criminal defense lawyers Todd Blance and Emil Bove for the second and third highest roles in the department, and John Sauer, who handled Trump’s legal battles in various appeals, for the position of solicitor general.
Bondi was a key figure in Trump’s first impeachment trial, accused of holding back U.S. aid to Ukraine to compel the Ukrainian government to investigate now-President Joe Biden. The Senate ultimately acquitted Trump during this trial, largely along party lines.
These nominations have raised concerns among Trump’s critics, who worry that these lawyers may prioritize personal allegiance to Trump over impartial enforcement of the law. Supporters argue, however, that each nominee has relevant expertise for their respective roles. Bondi served as Florida’s chief legal officer from 2011 to 2019.
Bondi was nominated for the prominent attorney general position shortly after former Florida Representative Matt Gaetz withdrew from the Senate confirmation process.
Gaetz faced scrutiny partly due to investigations into allegations of sex trafficking, paying for sex, and engaging with a minor. He has vehemently denied any wrongdoing, and the Justice Department has opted not to pursue charges against him. A spokesperson for the Trump transition, Alex Pfeiffer, described the allegations as “baseless,” emphasizing that Gaetz was never charged. The House ethics committee has not yet released its investigative report.
Political Justice?
Trump has pleaded not guilty to two indictments from the Justice Department’s special counsel Jack Smith: one accusing him of illegally attempting to overturn the 2020 election and another alleging he mishandled classified documents post-presidency. In his Thursday announcement of Bondi as the new Justice Department head, Trump stated the department would no longer be “weaponized” for political ends.
“For too long, the partisan Department of Justice has been weaponized against me and other Republicans – Not anymore,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Pam will realign the DOJ to its true mission of combating crime and Making America Safe Again.”
For inquiries concerning both Trump and Hunter Biden, Joe Biden’s son, Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed special counsels, ensuring their roles maintain greater independence from Justice Department leadership. Garland stated that appointing Smith to manage the Trump investigations would enable prosecutors to operate “guided solely by the facts and the law.”
Which other defense lawyers has Trump selected?
Trump has selected three lawyers who have defended him during criminal proceedings.
Trump has appointed Todd Blanche as deputy attorney general, and Emil Bove as principal associate deputy attorney general. Both Blanche and Bove represented Trump in his New York hush money case and two federal criminal cases. Blanche will require Senate approval, while Bove will not.
Additionally, Trump nominated John Sauer as solicitor general, the leading advocate for the nation at the Supreme Court. Sauer represented Trump in both the appeal concerning the 2020 election interference and in the New York civil fraud lawsuit.
Why are critics worried?
During Trump’s first term in office, he allegedly tried to employ the Justice Department to target adversaries. During his 2024 campaign, he shared social media posts suggesting indictments for his opponents, often depicting them in jail.
Trump’s initial attorney general, Jeff Sessions, testified that Trump requested him to lead an investigation into Hillary Clinton during the summer of 2017, as detailed in the Mueller report. Sessions refused.
The following spring, Trump expressed to White House counsel Donald F. McGahn II his intentions to instruct the Justice Department to prosecute both Clinton and former FBI director James Comey, according to the New York Times. McGahn had White House lawyers
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It is crucial to be aware that the real estate mogul could face impeachment if there are orders directed at law enforcement to investigate his rivals.
During his presidential campaign this year, Trump seemed to issue threats against opponents. He posted on social media an image showing President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in jumpsuits. Furthermore, he called for the House committee investigating the January 6, 2021 Capitol attack to face charges.
There are concerns that some lawyers who have previously represented Trump may lack independence and be susceptible to his pressures.
While serving as Florida’s attorney general, Bondi declined to participate in a multi-state lawsuit against Trump University after receiving a $25,000 donation from Trump for her 2014 reelection campaign. Harvard law professor Laurence Tribe highlighted this decision on Bluesky, stating that Bondi “dutifully did Trump’s bidding.”
In response to concerns raised by critics, the Trump campaign emphasized his election victory and the qualifications of his nominees.
“The American people re-elected President Trump by a significant margin, granting him a mandate to fulfill the promises he made during the campaign — and his Cabinet choices reflect his commitment to prioritize America first,” remarked Karoline Leavitt, a spokesperson for the Trump-Vance transition team, in a statement to YSL News.
“President Trump will continue to select highly qualified individuals who possess the talent and experience necessary to Make America Great Again,” added Leavitt.
Profile of the Nominees’ Qualifications
Bondi, Blanche, Bove, and Sauer bring relevant expertise to their roles.
As the chief legal officer of Florida, Bondi successfully negotiated a settlement exceeding $3 billion following a BP oil spill, which she believed would protect the state from extensive litigation. She also advocated for legislation that tightened regulations on clinics prescribing opioids excessively.
Sauer has experience as Missouri’s solicitor general, overseeing the state’s legal cases in appellate courts. He also served as a law clerk for former Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.
Blanche and Bove, partners at Blanche Law, have held only junior prosecutorial roles compared to the high-ranking positions they are now expected to fill.
Blanche worked in the federal prosecutor’s office in Manhattan for nine years, during which he co-led a violent crimes unit. Bove also spent approximately nine years in that office, ultimately co-managing its national security unit in his final two years there.
Nonetheless, Blanche and Bove’s extensive federal prosecuting backgrounds stand in contrast to Gaetz, who has no prosecutorial experience.
