Senate Judiciary Committee schedules Bondi confirmation hearings

The Senate Judiciary Committee has officially slotted two days for confirmation hearings for President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for attorney general, Pam Bondi.

The former Florida attorney general who served as Trump’s personal lawyer during his first impeachment trial is set to appear before lawmakers next Wednesday, January 15, and Thursday, January 16.

As the nation's top prosecutor, Bondi would play a key role in implementing Trump’s regulatory agenda and defending the actions of his administration in court.

She is Trump's second choice for attorney general following the implosion over the incoming president's initial selection for the job, former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), who was the subject of a House Ethics Committee report alleging the ex-congressman committed statutory rape and used illegal drugs.

But while she is more palatable to Republicans who balked at the Gaetz nomination, Bondi is unlikely to win much support among Democrats.

After meeting Wednesday with Senate Judiciary Committee ranking member Dick Durbin, the Illinois Democrat said he remained concerned about her record, specifically what role she might have played in Trump's efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election.

“The role of the Attorney General is to oversee an independent Justice Department that upholds the rule of law and is free of undue political influence,” Durbin said in a statement. “Given Ms. Bondi’s responses to my questions, I remain concerned about her ability to serve as an Attorney General who will put her oath to the Constitution ahead of her fealty to Donald Trump.”