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President-elect Donald Trump on Thursday nominated longtime ally Pam Bondi as his new attorney general nominee, capping a tumultuous week for his predecessor Matt Gaetz.
Mr. Bondi’s promotion came just hours after Mr. Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration following intense scrutiny over sexual misconduct allegations.
If confirmed, Mr. Bondi would lead the Justice Department and set the agenda for federal investigations and prosecutions. Mr. Trump’s selection as the nation’s top law enforcement official comes as some critics fear he will use his administration to seek retaliation.
Hackers on Monday accessed files containing affidavits from two women involved in the Matt Gaetz investigation, according to people familiar with the matter.
“For too long, a partisan Justice Department has been used as a weapon against me and other Republicans, and that’s no longer the case,” Trump said on Truth Social. “Pam will refocus the Department of Justice on its original purpose: fighting crime and making America safe again.”
President Trump also praised her efforts against “deadly drug trafficking.” Bondi served as Florida’s attorney general from 2011 to 2019 and previously served on a Trump commission focused on ending the opioid crisis and combating drug addiction.
She is currently a partner at lobbying firm Ballard Partners and chairs the firm’s corporate regulatory compliance practice, according to the firm’s website.
Bondi has long ties to President Trump. He participated in the “Lock Her Up” chant for former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at the 2016 Republican National Convention, and later served on Trump’s legal team during his first impeachment trial.
After Mr. Trump lost the 2020 election, Mr. Bondi was involved in efforts to overturn the results, falsely claiming at a press conference in Philadelphia that Mr. Trump “won Pennsylvania.”
Mr. Trump and Mr. Bondi have previously faced allegations of wrongdoing, which both have denied. In 2013, Mr. Trump’s foundation donated $25,000 to a campaign group affiliated with Mr. Bondi while he was Florida’s attorney general. The donation was reportedly made around the same time that Bondi’s office was approached about investigating fraud allegations against Trump University.
Bondi did not file a lawsuit against Trump. He paid a $2,500 fine to the IRS after ethics groups alleged the foundation’s donations to causes were not disclosed to tax authorities.
As attorney general, Bondi will lead the Department of Justice, which has jurisdiction over the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Bureau of Prisons, and has more than 115,000 employees.
The position of attorney general requires Senate confirmation.
gates praised President Trump’s announcement X called Bondi a “great selection”.
“She is an accomplished litigator, an inspirational leader and a champion for all Americans,” he said. “She will bring needed reforms to the Department of Justice.”
When Gaetz announced early Thursday that he was withdrawing his name from consideration, he argued that his confirmation “unfairly stands in the way of the important work of the Trump-Vance transition.”
Gaetz is facing charges that include having sex with a 17-year-old girl. He denies the charges against him.
President Trump praised Gaetz on Thursday at Truth Social, saying he has a “great future.”
initial reaction Senate Republicans were more positive about Mr. Bondi’s selection than when Mr. Trump nominated Mr. Gaetz.
“Nominating Pam Bondi as attorney general is a grand slam, touchdown, hole-in-one, ace, hat trick, slam dunk, Olympic gold medal nomination,” Sen. Lindsey Graham, R.S.C., told X. Ta.
Graham is a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which holds confirmation hearings for attorney general nominees.
Some of Mr. Trump’s picks for top administration posts are already facing headwinds.
President Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, faces sexual assault allegations, while critics say his pick for Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, is spreading pro-Russian propaganda. It is accused of being President Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has come under fire for both his anti-vaccine activities and his past support for abortion rights.
President Trump is continuing to consult with senators in hopes of getting his cabinet picks approved by the new Congress, where Republicans will hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate.
Following Gates’ resignation, President-elect Gaetz met with Sen. Tim Scott (R) and incoming Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R) at his Mar-a-Lago residence, two sources familiar with the matter said. revealed. meeting.
Bondi is the latest in a string of Trump candidates with roots in Florida. Incoming White House chief of staff Susie Wiles helped lead Trump’s campaign in the state during the 2016 election, and Sen. Marco Rubio, Trump’s nominee for secretary of state, was appointed in 2011. He has been serving as a senator representing the state of Florida since 2013.
President Trump also nominated Congressman Mike Walz (R-Florida) as national security adviser.
Wiles and Walz’s posts do not require Senate approval.
This article first appeared on NBCNews.com. More from NBC News:
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