Pam Bondi is Trump’s attorney general pick after Gaetz withdrawal : NPR

President-elect Donald Trump has named Pam Bondi, a former legal professional normal of Florida, as his subsequent decide for U.S. legal professional normal.

Bondi, who served as Florida’s prime prosecutor from 2011 to 2019, is a longtime ally of Trump’s and was one in all his legal professionals throughout his first impeachment trial. She leads the authorized arm of the America First Coverage Institute, a assume tank arrange by former staffers from Trump’s first presidency.

In an announcement saying the choice, Trump mentioned: “Pam was a prosecutor for almost 20 years, the place she was very powerful on Violent Criminals, and made the streets secure for Florida Households. Then, as Florida’s first feminine Lawyer Common, she labored to cease the trafficking of lethal medicine, and cut back the tragedy of Fentanyl Overdose Deaths, which have destroyed many households throughout our Nation. She did such an unbelievable job, that I requested her to serve on our Opioid and Drug Abuse Fee throughout my first Time period — We saved many lives!”

Trump added: “For too lengthy, the partisan Division of Justice has been weaponized in opposition to me and different Republicans — Not anymore. Pam will refocus the DOJ to its meant goal of preventing Crime, and Making America Secure Once more.”

The Division of Justice has been key to Trump’s agenda for his second time period as he probably seeks to make the division extra accountable to the president and go after his perceived enemies. Trump’s Vice President-elect JD Vance referred to as the function of legal professional normal crucial job within the subsequent administration, after the president.

Whoever winds up within the function must implement Trump’s agenda whereas additionally overseeing the day-to-day operations of a division of greater than 115,000 individuals, which prosecutes crimes, polices companies, protects civil rights and defends U.S. legal guidelines throughout all aspects of presidency.

Bondi’s choice continues Trump’s apply of selecting his former legal professionals for senior roles in his new administration. Final week, he picked former federal prosecutor Todd Blanche as his deputy legal professional normal and Emil Bove as principal affiliate deputy legal professional normal, who could be performing deputy legal professional normal whereas Blanche is awaiting affirmation. Each males defended Trump in his authorized instances, together with the New York felony case through which a jury discovered him responsible of 34 felony counts. Trump has not been sentenced in that case.

The number of former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, Trump’s prior decide for legal professional normal, confronted controversy from the day he was chosen final week, stemming from allegations that he participated in intercourse events, used unlawful medicine and had intercourse with a minor — allegations that Gaetz has constantly denied. The FBI investigated these expenses starting in 2021, however the Justice Division by no means introduced expenses.

Some lawmakers have been additionally involved Gaetz lacked the temperament and expertise to guide a division, which has lengthy valued its independence and impartiality in implementing the regulation.