On January 15, 2025, U.S. Senator Katie Britt from the Republican Party of Alabama attended the confirmation hearing of Attorney General nominee, Pam Bondi, praising her decades of experience in combating crime, particularly in successfully addressing the abuse and trafficking of opioids domestically.
She expressed to Bondi, “If you are confirmed, America will be very fortunate because the Department of Justice is unfortunately in turmoil, and someone as talented, wise, and experienced as you will be responsible for managing this department.”
Britt applauded Bondi’s achievements in combating opioid abuse and human trafficking during her tenure as Florida Attorney General (2011 to 2019), stating, “I look forward to you implementing these measures at the Department of Justice.”
She emphasized the need for serious attention to the opioid crisis, with opioid and fentanyl overdoses becoming the leading cause of death for the 18-45 age group, highlighting the importance of addressing this issue in the country. She added, “You not only take this issue seriously but also have a record to prove to the American people.”
Britt hopes that Bondi, if appointed as Attorney General, will expedite the handling of cases related to illegal immigration.
She described the backlog of immigration court cases under the Biden administration, increasing from 1.4 million at the end of 2021 to 3.5 million by the end of 2024. She also raised concerns about a culture within the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security that fails to adjudicate cases at the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR).
Britt discovered that during the Biden administration, approximately one million undocumented immigrants were allowed to stay in the U.S. indefinitely due to reasons such as case rejections, terminations, administrative closures, and failure to make rulings within the EOIR.
She pressed Bondi to ensure that if elected, she would prioritize reforming the operations of the EOIR and take measures to ensure that immigration judges make actual rulings on these cases.
Bondi promised to do her best to ensure the normal operation of the EOIR and looks forward to close cooperation with the Senate Judiciary Committee.
In addition to addressing illegal immigration cases, Britt urged Bondi to consider reinstating performance metrics for immigration judges similar to those implemented during the first term of President Trump and to reassess the Biden administration’s policies that encourage the use of administrative closure. Bondi expressed her support for these initiatives.
During the hearing, Senator Britt criticized the lack of response from the Department of Justice and Attorney General Merrick Garland to congressional oversight, particularly regarding the leaked draft opinions of Supreme Court judges in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization case and the failure to enforce federal law near the judges’ residences.
Britt raised concerns about the lack of responses from the Department of Justice regarding law enforcement misconduct and requested Bondi’s assistance in providing insights into the department’s practices to ensure such incidents do not recur under her leadership.
This week, Senator Britt wrote to Attorney General Garland requesting action to preserve records of the Department of Justice’s failure to enforce Section 1507 of Title 18 of the U.S. Code regarding activity near the homes of federal judges. She had previously attempted to obtain information on law enforcement misconduct from Attorney General Garland.
During the hearing on Wednesday, Pam Bondi engaged in debates with various Democratic senators, including Adam Schiff.
Schiff questioned Bondi on whether she was aware of the factual predicate for investigating Liz Cheney. Bondi responded that no one had requested her to investigate Liz Cheney and that it was merely a hypothetical scenario, questioning Schiff on California’s crime rates instead.
She pointed out the alarming crime rates in California, emphasizing the need to address these issues. Schiff criticized Bondi’s responses, suggesting that she lacked the independence to say “no” to the president and further questioning if she would inform Trump of his loss in the 2020 election.
Bondi retorted, accusing Schiff of playing politics and disclosing a memo from Congressman Devin Nunes. She affirmed her commitment to not engage in political games.
Schiff questioned Bondi on whether she would oppose Trump granting full pardons to individuals involved in the January 6th incident, to which Bondi expressed her indignation, highlighting Schiff’s prior condemnation by Congress for reckless statements.
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse from the Democratic Party of Rhode Island raised concerns about the weaponization of the Department of Justice to Bondi.
Whitehouse questioned the appropriateness of prosecutors searching for crime evidence starting from names rather than starting with crimes when seeking evidence.
Bondi’s response emphasized the federal government’s investigation into Trump, attributing the issue of weaponization over the last four years to events surrounding Donald Trump.
According to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley’s timeline outlined on Thursday, Attorney General nominee Pam Bondi is expected to receive Senate confirmation following the scheduled hearings.
Before the commencement of the second day of Bondi’s confirmation hearing, the Republican senator from Iowa stated in an interview that he plans to submit Bondi’s nomination to the Senate Judiciary Committee on January 27. Considering the scheduling of Senate Republican leaders and opposition from Democratic legislators, the final confirmation vote is likely to take place later this month.
While Bondi’s appointment is anticipated to proceed smoothly, the regulations of the Judiciary Committee indicate that she may not assume control of the Department of Justice on the first day of Trump’s second term, and possibly not even in the first week, as the committee’s Democrats can request a one-week delay for any nominations listed on the committee’s agenda. This request is expected to be made next week.