Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi defended her longstanding loyalty to President-elect Donald Trump and vowed not to “politicize” the Justice Department during her U.S. Attorney General confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday in Washington, DC “.

Democrats pressed Bondi on whether she would act independently of Trump and questioned her refusal to directly confirm the legitimacy of the 2020 presidential election.

Newsweek has reached out to the Department of Justice (DOJ) for comment.

Why it matters

Democrats fear that Bondi’s appointment could undermine the Justice Department’s independence, especially given her close ties to Trump and past statements in which she has advocated for investigations into his perceived opponents. Bondi’s critics, who served as Florida’s attorney general for eight years, argue that her leadership could pave the way for the department to be used to settle political scores, undermining public trust in law enforcement.

Bondi’s confirmation is crucial as the Justice Department faces increased scrutiny following Trump’s 2024 election victory.

She was chosen after Trump’s first nominee, former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, withdrew from consideration, citing a “needlessly protracted battle in Washington” – an investigation into alleged sexual misconduct.

What you should know

Bondi’s nomination follows years of political tension with federal investigations into Trump, including two criminal cases led by special counsel Jack Smith. Smith dropped both cases after Trump’s election in 2024, citing the DOJ’s policy against prosecuting a sitting president.

“If confirmed, I will work to restore the trust and integrity of the Justice Department — and each of its components,” Bondi, 59, said in her opening statement.

She repeatedly refused to say whether Trump lost the 2020 election, telling senators: “President Biden is the president of the United States, he was duly sworn in.” She avoided directly addressing whether she agreed with the president’s findings The court agreed that there was no widespread voter fraud.

Her comments often mirrored Trump’s rhetoric and sparked concern among Democrats.

“I need to know that if you were asked to do something that was wrong, illegal or unconstitutional, you would say ‘no’ to the president,” Sen. Dick Durbin, the panel’s top Democrat, told Bondi.

Bondi also defended her previous statement that under Trump’s leadership “prosecutors will be prosecuted” and said her goal is to combat misconduct within the Justice Department.

What people say

Pam Bondi, Republican attorney general candidate: “If confirmed, my primary goal would be to return the Justice Department to its core mission of keeping Americans safe and vigorously enforcing the law (…). Under my watch, the partisan weaponization of the Justice Department will end. “America must have a level of justice for all.”

Democratic Hawaii Senator Mazie Hirono: “You can’t say who won the 2020 election. It is disturbing that this fact cannot be given a voice.”

What happens next

Bondi’s confirmation vote is expected in the coming weeks. If confirmed, she will oversee the Justice Department at a critical moment, including politically sensitive investigations related to Hunter Biden and election integrity issues.

While Bondi has promised to lead with fairness and integrity, her close relationship with Trump and her reluctance to distance herself from his claims of election fraud will likely remain the focus of criticism.

This article contains reporting from The Associated Press.