Pam Bondi’s Confirmation: A Test of Independence

Pam Bondi, the former Florida attorney general, faced tough questions during her confirmation hearing for attorney general. She was picked by President-elect Donald Trump and had to prove she could be independent from the White House. Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee weren’t so sure. They wanted her to promise she wouldn’t do what President Trump wanted if it wasn’t right. From the start, Ms. Bondi said she would be an independent crime-fighter. But she also showed loyalty to Mr. Trump. She said he was a victim of unfair prosecution by the Biden administration. Democrats asked her if she would stand up to Mr. Trump if he tried to prosecute his political enemies. Ms. Bondi said yes, but some senators weren’t convinced. Ms. Bondi also defended Mr. Trump’s pick for the FBI. She said there wouldn’t be a list of enemies in the Justice Department. But she also said prosecutors who did bad things wouldn’t be above the law. This made some people think she might go after people Mr. Trump didn’t like. Ms. Bondi is a more conventional choice for attorney general than Mr. Trump’s first pick, who had to withdraw because of serious allegations. This makes it more likely that she will get the job. But she still has to convince some people that she can be independent from Mr. Trump.