Senate readies for Pam Bondi vote as Dems rally against sweeping DOJ restructure

WASHINGTON (CN) — President Donald Trump’s pick to lead federal law enforcement operations appears poised to clear a major hurdle in the Senate this week, as the Senate Judiciary Committee readies to vote on whether to send her appointment to the full chamber.

And while Pam Bondi is likely to capture enough support from the panel’s Republican membership to ensure a smooth ride to a confirmation vote, lawmakers — particularly Democrats — are sure to raise concerns about the attorney general nominee’s independence from the president amid reports that the White House used its influence to make sweeping personnel changes and clamp down on new hires at the Justice Department.

Bondi’s ability to resist political pressure from Trump was a centerpiece of Democrats’ questioning during her nomination hearing earlier this month: Lawmakers grilled the nominee on whether she could tell the president “no” if he asked her to do something illegal or unconstitutional.

The Florida state attorney general, while refusing to answer directly some questions from senators about her independence, told the committee that she would “never play politics” as head of the Justice Department.

But in the days since Trump has returned to office, his new administration reportedly has taken steps to restructure the agency — steps which some Democrats have chalked up to an effort to punish the president’s political enemies within it.

House Democrats on Tuesday penned a letter to acting Attorney General James McHenry demanding that he provide information on reports that the Trump administration has been involved in “widespread summary firing and involuntary reassignment” at the agency.

The lawmakers, led by Virginia Representative Gerry Connolly, also pointed to reports that the White House rescinded job offers to law students for positions as interns or entry level attorneys at the Justice Department.

“By removing them from their positions in this hasty and unprincipled way, you have very likely violated longstanding federal laws,” the House Democrats wrote, pointing to the 1978 Civil Service Reform Act, which shields federal employees from unfair termination.

The lawmakers warned against making staffing decisions based on political loyalty, arguing that such a “spoils system” would beget an unqualified workforce that prioritizes the president’s interests over their official duties.

The Judiciary Committee is also set to consider Bondi’s nomination on the backdrop of another developing crisis of executive authority which began late last week, as the Trump administration fired more than a dozen independent inspectors general tasked with reviewing the actions of federal agencies such as the Pentagon, State Department and Department of Labor.

That mass firing also appeared to violate federal law, which requires the president to give Congress 30 days’ notice before taking such an action. And some lawmakers worried that the sackings would have a chilling effect on the work of other inspectors general, such as those overseeing the Justice Department.

Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin, the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, said in a statement last week that the firings were a “brazen attempt” to make inspectors general look the other way when waste, fraud or abuse takes place at federal agencies.

“Less than one week in office and President Trump is dismantling the checks and balances on the executive branch at an astounding rate,” Durbin said.

But Senate Republicans, including top lawmakers on the Judiciary Committee, appeared less concerned.

“There may be good reason the IGs were fired,” Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley said in a statement last week.

Grassley, who chairs the Judiciary Committee, said he would like “further explanation” from Trump but did not make any demands. He did, however, acknowledge that the White House did not provide the requisite 30-day notice before firing the inspectors general.

The lukewarm response represents a shift from Grassley’s posture as chair of the Judiciary Committee during Trump’s first administration, during which he placed holds on two White House nominees until the president explained his reasoning for firing another pair of watchdogs. It’s unclear whether he plans to take similar action this time around.

Meanwhile, Bondi herself is facing some last-minute opposition from civil rights organizations as senators prepare to cast their first ballots on her nomination.

A coalition of more than 90 groups, led by the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, urged the Senate to oppose her confirmation as attorney general, saying Bondi “lacks the independence” needed at the Justice Department to ensure fair enforcement of the country’s civil rights laws.

In a letter to lawmakers on Tuesday, the organizations pointed to Bondi’s history of “unflinching loyalty” to Trump, citing her defense of the president in his first administration during his first impeachment trial.

The civil rights groups also noted her work as principal legal advisor at the Trump-affiliated America First Policy Institute, which they added supports a policy allowing federal agencies to remove employees for any “nondiscriminatory” reason.

“[T]here is significant cause for concern that if she is confirmed to this position, the DOJ would terminate career lawyers just for disagreeing with the Trump administration’s policies,” the letter said.

The coalition took issue with several of Bondi’s positions reflected from her confirmation hearing, including her comments about the results of the 2020 election and her stances on health care, abortion access and immigration.

“Her record and responses to questions during the hearing underscore that she lacks the commitment to defending the core tenets of our democracy and the civil and human rights of all people,” the letter said.

The Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to vote on Bondi’s nomination Wednesday morning. Just a day later, the panel will interview Kash Patel, whom Trump tapped to lead the FBI.

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