What to know about Pam Bondi, Trump's second AG pick
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Pam Bondi, former Florida attorney general, speaks during the Conservative Political Action Conference in Dallas, July 2021. Photo: Dylan Hollingsworth/Bloomberg via Getty Images
President-elect Trump tapped former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi as U.S. attorney general after former Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew from consideration Thursday.
Why it matters: Bondi is a longtime Trump ally whose confirmation chances appear stronger than Gaetz's. She would give the incoming administration a staunch ally atop the Department of Justice, which could be instrumental if Trump follows through on his threat to investigate his political enemies.
- "For too long, the partisan Department of Justice has been weaponized against me and other Republicans," Trump said in his Thursday announcement. "Not anymore. Pam will refocus the DOJ to its intended purpose of fighting crime, and Making America Safe Again."
Here's what to know about Bondi.
Bondi's law and lobbying career
State of play: Bondi is a Tampa native and fourth-generation Floridian.
- She spent more than 18 years as a prosecutor. In 2011, she became the first woman to serve as Florida's attorney general.
- She served on Trump's opioid and drug abuse commission and focused on shutting down "pill mills" as state AG.
Zoom in: More recently, she worked with Ballard Partners, a Republican lobbying firm. She leads its corporate regulatory compliance practice.
- She was previously registered to lobby for large companies, including Amazon, General Motors and Uber, as well as the Qatari government, per the New York Times. She's currently registered as a lobbyist for law enforcement-related clients.
- She also serves as the chair for the right-wing America First Policy Institute's litigation arm and co-chair of its law and justice center.
Trump ally and surrogate
Bondi has routinely come to Trump's aid when he's faced legal jeopardy.
- Earlier this year, she showed up in support at his New York hush money trial. The proceeding eventually resulted in his conviction on 34 felony counts, though a judge has since paused his sentencing.
- In 2013, her office opted not to pursue a fraud investigation into Trump University after a $25,000 donation from his foundation to her political election committee, according to the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington.
- Bondi denied a connection between the donation and her decision after a lawsuit was filed in March 2016, while Trump was running for president.
Flashback: Trump in 2018 said he'd "love" for Bondi to join his administration after his first attorney general was ousted, per ABC News. He ultimately selected Bill Barr.
- Bondi was part of Trump's impeachment team for his Senate trial in 2020.
The intrigue: Bondi's stocks and warrants in Trump Media & Technology Group Corp. would be worth roughly $3.9 million if she continues to hold them, Barron's reported.
- Her brother, Brad Bondi, was an attorney who worked on the deal that led to Trump Media's public listing, per Barron's.
Election fraud claims and other controversies
Bondi supported Trump's false claims of election fraud after the 2020 presidential election, per the New York Times.
- She said there "could be" fake ballots in a Fox News interview at the time and appeared alongside former Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani to decry voter fraud, the Tampa Bay Times reported.
Zoom out: In 2014 court filings, she said that recognizing same-sex marriage would "impose significant public harm" to Floridians, per CNN.
- As the state's attorney general, she challenged Obama administration policies, including the Affordable Care Act, per The Hill.
Go deeper: Trump administration 2.0: Tracking his Cabinet, White House picks
