Attorney General Pam Bondi Faces Senate Scrutiny Over Justice Department’s Political Independence

 

Attorney General Pam Bondi Faces Senate Scrutiny Over Justice Department’s Political Independence

Sen. Chuck Grassley praises Bondi for “getting tough on crime” as Democrats question her ties to Trump administration pressure

By Alanna Durkin Richer, Eric Tucker & Stephen Groves (Rewritten for SEO by CPA Marketar)

Published: 1 hour ago

WASHINGTON – Attorney General Pam Bondi appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, facing tough questions about whether political pressure has influenced the operations of the Justice Department under her leadership.

The hearing comes amid growing controversy following the criminal indictment of former FBI Director James Comey, one of Donald Trump’s long-time critics. Many lawmakers are concerned that the Justice Department is being used as a political weapon to target the Republican president’s opponents.

Grassley defends Bondi’s actions

Committee Chairman Sen. Chuck Grassley opened the hearing by praising Bondi’s “firm stance on crime” and her efforts to expose what conservatives claim was unfair treatment of right-leaning individuals under President Joe Biden’s Justice Department.

Grassley cited reports that the FBI had reviewed phone records of Republican lawmakers during investigations related to Trump’s challenges to the 2020 election results.

Democrats challenge Bondi’s promises

This was Bondi’s first Senate appearance since her confirmation in January, when she vowed to keep politics out of the department. Democrats are now questioning whether she’s upheld that promise, particularly as Trump continues to publicly demand prosecutions of his rivals.

Bondi and her allies argue that Biden’s administration “weaponized” the DOJ first, pointing to the criminal cases it brought against Trump. They claim Bondi is simply restoring fairness and balance.

Comey case at the center

The Comey indictment is expected to dominate the hearing. Reports suggest that the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Virginia initially doubted the case’s strength. However, a new prosecutor was swiftly appointed after the previous office head resigned under pressure.

Bondi is also expected to face questions about other politically charged investigations involving Sen. Adam Schiff, New York Attorney General Letitia James, and former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo — all outspoken critics of Trump. Each has denied wrongdoing and accused Bondi’s DOJ of conducting “revenge investigations.”

DOJ priorities and public image

Supporters say Bondi has focused on restoring law and order, emphasizing violent-crime crackdowns and deploying federal task forces in cities like Washington, D.C., and Memphis. Her team has also stepped up efforts to fight illegal immigration and Mexican drug cartels smuggling narcotics into the U.S.

However, controversy continues over the department’s decision to withhold additional records from the Jeffrey Epstein sex-trafficking investigation — a move that angered conservative commentators and raised new questions about transparency.

Despite mounting criticism, President Trump has continued to express full confidence in Bondi’s leadership, saying she is “restoring justice to the Justice Department.”