Attorney General Pam Bondi clashed fiercely with Senate Democrats during a tense Judiciary Committee hearing on Tuesday, pushing back against accusations that she has “weaponized” the Department of Justice. In a heated exchange with Sen. Dick Durbin, Bondi defended her record, redirected criticism toward Democrats, and stood firm on her handling of politically charged cases.
Pam Bondi entered her first oversight hearing as attorney general prepared for confrontation, and she got exactly that. Democratic senators, led by Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), accused her of politicizing the Department of Justice to shield US President Donald Trump and his allies while targeting perceived foes.
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During her opening statement, Bondi rejected the accusations, asserting that it was actually President Joe Biden’s administration that “weaponized” the agency. She cited reports that the FBI analyzed the phone records of Republican lawmakers in an investigation into Trump’s alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election, as quoted in a report by The Independent.
Pam Bondi said, “They were playing politics with law enforcement powers and will go down as a historic betrayal of public trust.” “This is the kind of conduct that shatters the American people’s faith in our law enforcement system. We will work to earn that back every single day,” as quoted in a report by The Independent.
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The hearing quickly turned combative as Bondi repeatedly clashed with Durbin. When pressed about political pressure within the Justice Department, Bondi fired back, pointing to Chicago’s crime rate and accusing Democrats of failing to keep the city safe.
“You’re sitting here grilling me, and they’re on their way to Chicago to keep your state safe,” Bondi said, referencing FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche.
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Durbin, visibly frustrated, replied, “Madam Attorney General, it’s my job to grill you.” “Investigating your agency is part of my responsibility on this committee. You may not like the experience, but others have weathered the storm, and they answered questions in a respectful manner,” as quoted in a report by The Independent.
Bondi grew increasingly defensive, refusing to answer questions about undocumented immigrants in Chicago or whether it qualifies as a “sanctuary city.” When Durbin questioned her over the legality of deploying National Guard troops, she again deflected, saying, “As you shut down the government, and you’re sitting here, our law enforcement officers aren’t being paid — they’re out there to protect you.”
“I wish you loved Chicago as much as you hate President Trump. And currently, the National Guard are on the way to Chicago. If you’re not going to protect your citizens, President Trump will,” Pam Bondi statedas quoted in a report by The AP.
Another tense moment came when Durbin pressed Bondi about her refusal to release case files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, including allegations involving President Trump.
Bondi refused to confirm whether the FBI had uncovered photographs of Trump with “half-naked women,” calling the claim “salacious” and intended to “slander” the president. She stood by her earlier statement that the Epstein files were “sitting on my desk,” along with materials on “JFK and Martin Luther King.”
“I said it was sitting on my desk, along with JFK and Martin Luther King files,” Bondi reiterated. “And I said I had not yet reviewed it. ... Our memo on Epstein clearly points out there was no ‘client list,’” as quoted in a report by The AP.
When asked if the FBI had been instructed to flag any Epstein-related files mentioning Trump, Bondi responded sharply: “I’m not going to discuss anything about that with you, senator,” as quoted in a report by The AP.
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham also joined the questioning, asking Bondi how many “illegal immigrants” were in Chicago. Bondi hesitated before answering “countless,” claiming there had been a “1,000 percent increase” in attacks on Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.
When Graham pressed further, “Right, but what I just want to know is there, like, 10, or 100,000? Does anybody know?”, Bondi replied only, “We have made multiple arrests.”
Asked if Chicago was a “sanctuary city,” Bondi said its leaders “are not cooperating” with federal authorities and urged Durbin to “condemn” Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker for what she described as lax immigration policies.
She did not, however, rule out prosecuting Trump’s political adversaries. Asked by senators to clarify her statement that “prosecutors will be prosecuted,” Bondi refused to commit to impartial restraint. When questioned whether she would drop a case if Trump instructed her to, Bondi said she would not have accepted the position “if she thought that would happen.”
Why was Pam Bondi questioned in the Senate hearing?
She faced scrutiny over allegations that she politicized the Justice Department to protect Trump and target his rivals.
What did Pam Bondi say in her defense?
Bondi argued that President Biden’s DOJ had actually “weaponized” law enforcement and vowed to restore public trust.
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Why did Pam Bondi face harsh questioning from Democrats?
Pam Bondi entered her first oversight hearing as attorney general prepared for confrontation, and she got exactly that. Democratic senators, led by Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), accused her of politicizing the Department of Justice to shield US President Donald Trump and his allies while targeting perceived foes.
ALSO READ:National Taco Day 2025: $1 tacos are back! Don’t miss Taco Bell’s epic deals
During her opening statement, Bondi rejected the accusations, asserting that it was actually President Joe Biden’s administration that “weaponized” the agency. She cited reports that the FBI analyzed the phone records of Republican lawmakers in an investigation into Trump’s alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election, as quoted in a report by The Independent.
Pam Bondi said, “They were playing politics with law enforcement powers and will go down as a historic betrayal of public trust.” “This is the kind of conduct that shatters the American people’s faith in our law enforcement system. We will work to earn that back every single day,” as quoted in a report by The Independent.
ALSO READ: Amazon Prime settlement payouts: Find out if you are eligible for a refund
What happened during the heated exchange with Dick Durbin?
The hearing quickly turned combative as Bondi repeatedly clashed with Durbin. When pressed about political pressure within the Justice Department, Bondi fired back, pointing to Chicago’s crime rate and accusing Democrats of failing to keep the city safe.
“You’re sitting here grilling me, and they’re on their way to Chicago to keep your state safe,” Bondi said, referencing FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche.
ALSO READ: Senator Durbin critiques attorney general Pam Bondi for politicizing DOJ and dismantling key divisions
Durbin, visibly frustrated, replied, “Madam Attorney General, it’s my job to grill you.” “Investigating your agency is part of my responsibility on this committee. You may not like the experience, but others have weathered the storm, and they answered questions in a respectful manner,” as quoted in a report by The Independent.
Bondi grew increasingly defensive, refusing to answer questions about undocumented immigrants in Chicago or whether it qualifies as a “sanctuary city.” When Durbin questioned her over the legality of deploying National Guard troops, she again deflected, saying, “As you shut down the government, and you’re sitting here, our law enforcement officers aren’t being paid — they’re out there to protect you.”
“I wish you loved Chicago as much as you hate President Trump. And currently, the National Guard are on the way to Chicago. If you’re not going to protect your citizens, President Trump will,” Pam Bondi statedas quoted in a report by The AP.
Why did the Epstein case files become a flashpoint?
Another tense moment came when Durbin pressed Bondi about her refusal to release case files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, including allegations involving President Trump.
Bondi refused to confirm whether the FBI had uncovered photographs of Trump with “half-naked women,” calling the claim “salacious” and intended to “slander” the president. She stood by her earlier statement that the Epstein files were “sitting on my desk,” along with materials on “JFK and Martin Luther King.”
“I said it was sitting on my desk, along with JFK and Martin Luther King files,” Bondi reiterated. “And I said I had not yet reviewed it. ... Our memo on Epstein clearly points out there was no ‘client list,’” as quoted in a report by The AP.
When asked if the FBI had been instructed to flag any Epstein-related files mentioning Trump, Bondi responded sharply: “I’m not going to discuss anything about that with you, senator,” as quoted in a report by The AP.
What about immigration and Chicago crime questions?
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham also joined the questioning, asking Bondi how many “illegal immigrants” were in Chicago. Bondi hesitated before answering “countless,” claiming there had been a “1,000 percent increase” in attacks on Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.When Graham pressed further, “Right, but what I just want to know is there, like, 10, or 100,000? Does anybody know?”, Bondi replied only, “We have made multiple arrests.”
Asked if Chicago was a “sanctuary city,” Bondi said its leaders “are not cooperating” with federal authorities and urged Durbin to “condemn” Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker for what she described as lax immigration policies.
What did Pam Bondi promise during her confirmation hearing?
Bondi’s fiery exchanges on Tuesday echoed the pledges she made during her confirmation hearing in January. At that time, she promised to take the Justice Department “back to basics” and to end what she called the partisan “weaponization” of federal law enforcement, language that mirrored Donald Trump’s frequent claims” as quoted in a report by The AP.She did not, however, rule out prosecuting Trump’s political adversaries. Asked by senators to clarify her statement that “prosecutors will be prosecuted,” Bondi refused to commit to impartial restraint. When questioned whether she would drop a case if Trump instructed her to, Bondi said she would not have accepted the position “if she thought that would happen.”
FAQs
Why was Pam Bondi questioned in the Senate hearing?
She faced scrutiny over allegations that she politicized the Justice Department to protect Trump and target his rivals.
What did Pam Bondi say in her defense?
Bondi argued that President Biden’s DOJ had actually “weaponized” law enforcement and vowed to restore public trust.
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