Trump announces Pam Bondi is his new AG pick after Gaetz withdraws

[ad_1] On the identical day that former Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew from consideration as President-elect Donald Trump's lawyer normal, Trump introduced that he'll choose former Florida Legal professional Basic Pam Bondi to fill that position in his administration.

Bondi, 59, has remained in Trump’s interior circle for years and has continued to advise him on authorized issues. She was one of many attorneys who defended Trump throughout his first Senate impeachment trial.

Former Florida Legal professional Basic Pam Bondi takes the stage to talk at a marketing campaign rally with Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump in Gastonia, North Carolina, Nov. 2, 2024.

Brian Snyder/Reuters

"I've identified Pam for a few years -- She is wise and hard, and is an AMERICA FIRST Fighter, who will do a terrific job as Legal professional Basic!" Trump mentioned in a Reality Social publish.

Bondi's nomination should be confirmed by the Senate. She didn't instantly touch upon Trump's announcement.

For greater than a decade, Bondi has been a key Trump supporter and has been concerned in some controversies, together with the "huge lie," pushed by Trump in 2020.

On this July 7, 2021, file picture, Pam Bondi, former Florida Legal professional Basic, speaks subsequent to former President Donald Trump at Trump golf membership in Bedminster, New Jersey.

Eduardo Munoz/Reuters, FILE

In 2013, the Trump Basis despatched a $25,000 donation to Bondi's fundraising committee for her lawyer normal reelection marketing campaign. Across the identical time, Bondi's workplace had been contemplating reviewing a lawsuit filed by the New York lawyer normal's workplace that probed Trump and Trump College, nevertheless it finally didn't be part of the swimsuit.

Bondi and Trump each denied allegations that the donation led to her choice to not be part of the lawsuit. She endorsed Trump for his presidential run and spoke on the 2016 Republican Nationwide Conference main a "lock her up chant" towards then-Secretary of State Hilary Clinton. She additionally served as a co-chair of Trump's 2020 reelection bid and spoke at that yr's Republican Nationwide Conference.

Bondi was elected Florida lawyer normal in 2010 and reelected in 2014. She left the AG's workplace in 2019 as a result of she was restricted to 2 phrases. A yr later, she was chosen for Trump's protection staff for his first impeachment trial. He was acquitted within the Senate.

On this Nov. 5, 2020, file picture, Pam Bondi, former Florida lawyer normal, speaks throughout a information convention in entrance of the Conference Heart, the place votes are being counted, throughout the 2020 Presidential election in Philadelphia.

Bloomberg by way of Getty Photographs, FILE

Bondi continued to be a part of Trump's authorized staff throughout the 2020 election and repeatedly made false claims about voter fraud when he misplaced to Joe Biden.

Lately, she has been a member of the conservative suppose tank America First Coverage Institute, which was shaped by former Trump administrationofficials. She serves as AFPI's chair for the Heart for Litigation, and co-chair of the Heart for Legislation and Justice, in response to the suppose tank's web site.

Bondi and AFPI attorneys have been concerned in preemptive election lawsuits in battleground states throughout this yr's election.

Trump has named a few of his different private attorneys to senior roles within the Division of Justice together with Todd Blanche, Emil Bove and D. John Sauer.