Pam Bondi, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for Attorney General, delivered her opening statement before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Bondi, who previously served as Florida’s Attorney General from 2011 to 2019, emphasized her commitment to restoring integrity and ending partisanship within the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Transcript:
“Thank you all. From the moment I interned at the State Attorney’s Office in Tampa, Florida, all I wanted to do was be a prosecutor. The Supreme Court certified me, and I had four jury trials while still in law school.
I lost most of them, but I had four jury trials and never wanted to do anything else. I continued my career there, trying everything from DUIs, domestic violence cases, capital murder cases—the whole gamut.
I became a lead trial attorney in the courtroom every day, trying career criminals. I was Deputy Chief of a division and ultimately became Felony Bureau Chief. Eventually, I left to become Florida’s 37th Attorney General.
Nothing has impacted my career more than my experience as a state prosecutor. I got to know—and still keep in touch with—many victims and their families from when I was a prosecutor. Upon becoming Attorney General in 2011, I served for two terms.
I was term-limited and would probably still be there right now had I not been. I loved being Attorney General. I did my best to keep Florida safe, stand up for victims of crime, and fight the opioid and drug crises that affected not only Florida but the entire country.
Out of the top 100 oxycodone dispensers in the entire country, I believe 90 or 98 of them were in Florida.
We fought for tough legislation—kids were dropping dead every day. After that legislation, none of those opioid-dealing doctors practiced in Florida.
We fought to eliminate human trafficking by raising awareness and prevention, talking to parents and children. We also provided critical resources, including safe houses that my state was lacking.
On the civil side, we worked to protect consumers. We tackled everything, including off-label prescription marketing, which affects many people who can’t afford prescriptions.
We partnered with State Attorneys General from both parties and federal agencies across administrations. We went after price gougers during hurricanes.
If confirmed as the next Attorney General of the United States, my overriding objective will be to return the Department of Justice to its core mission: keeping Americans safe and vigorously prosecuting criminals. That includes focusing on gangs, drugs, terrorists, cartels, our border, and our foreign adversaries.
That is what the American people expect and deserve from the Department of Justice. If confirmed, I will do everything in my power to make America safe again. Making America safe again also requires reducing recidivism.
We must fix the Bureau of Prisons, which has suffered from years of mismanagement, lack of funding, and low morale.
I was proud to support President Trump’s First Step Act. I believe more can be implemented and done on that front.
President Trump’s leadership on criminal justice reform has demonstrated what is possible when a president is unafraid to address difficult issues.
We must reach across the aisle to find solutions to these problems. Like the President, I believe we are on the cusp of a new golden age where the Department of Justice can and will do better.
Lastly, and most importantly, if confirmed, I will fight every day to restore confidence and integrity to the Department of Justice and each of its components.
The partisanship and weaponization will be gone. America will have one tier of justice for all.
In all this work, I will collaborate closely with this committee. I will work with all of you, as I have committed to do when I met with almost all of you.
I will partner not only with federal agencies but also with state and local officials throughout our great country.
I look forward to answering your questions today and working together for this country and our Constitution. Thank you, senators.”
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