President-elect Donald Trump said Thursday (November 21, 2024) he will nominate former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi to lead the Justice Department, becoming a longtime ally after his first choice, Matt Gaetz, withdrew his name from consideration amid scrutiny. sex trafficking charges.
Bondi has been an outspoken defender of Trump. He was one of the lawyers in the first impeachment trial, when he was accused – but not convicted – of abusing his powers when he tried to give US military aid to Ukraine in the country that was investigating former Vice President Joe Biden. And he was among a group of Republicans who showed up to support Trump in a New York money laundering trial that ended in May with convictions on 34 felony charges.
“Too long, the partisan Department of Justice has weaponized me and other Republicans — Not anymore,” Trump said in a social media post. “Pam will refocus the DOJ on its goals of fighting Crime, and Making America Safe Again.”
Sex trafficking investigation against Gaetz
Mr. Gaetz’s resignation comes amid the ongoing fallout over a federal sex-trafficking investigation that has cast doubt on his ability to be confirmed as a state federal law enforcement official. Gaetz vehemently denied the allegations, but the nomination surprised many career lawyers at the Justice Department. Gaetz, who passed the bar but had just worked as a lawyer, had very little relevant experience for the job. Bondi comes with years of legal work under her belt and another of Trump’s most important traits: loyalty.
The quick withdrawal by Mr. Gaetz and the quick pivot to Bondi are the latest examples of Trump’s terrible decision-making as he rushes his nominees — some of whose character and credentials are questionable — quickly without the kind of government oversight typical of a presidential transition. It’s a sign that despite running the most organized campaign for the White House this year, his return to the Oval Office may feature the same drama as his first term.
Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr., told Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures” that the transition team has a backup for the controversial nominee if he fails to be confirmed.
Still, even in Trump’s world, things are moving fast. Trump has sought to capitalize on his decisive election victory to force Senate Republicans to accept provocative choices like Mr. Gaetz. The decision could increase scrutiny of other controversial Trump nominees, including Pentagon pick Pete Hegseth, who faces sexual assault charges he denies.
“While the momentum is strong, it is clear that my confirmation is unfairly a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance Transition,” Mr. Gaetz said in a statement a day after meeting with senators in an effort to win support. .
“There is no time to waste on unnecessary Washington scuffles, so I will withdraw my name from consideration for the position of Attorney General. Trump’s DOJ must be there and ready on Day 1,” he said.
Mr. Trump, in a post on social media, said: “I appreciate Matt Gaetz’s recent efforts to get approval to be Attorney General. He did a good job, but, at the same time, did not want to be a distraction for the Administration, respected. Matt has time Good luck, and I look forward to seeing all the things you come up with!
Ms. Bondi is a well-known figure in Trump’s circle, and has served as chairwoman of the America First Policy Institute, a think tank founded by former Trump administration staffers. He has been a vocal critic of the criminal case against Mr. Trump. In one of his recent radio appearances, he called out Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith and other prosecutors who accused Trump of “horrifying” people who he said were trying to make a name for themselves by “going after Donald Trump and using our legal system.”
Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham predicted in a social media post that Bondi “will be confirmed very quickly,” calling the selection a “grand slam, a touchdown, a hole in one, an ace, a hat trick, a slam dunk, an Olympic gold medal.”
Department of Justice
If confirmed by the Republican-led Senate, Bondi will immediately become one of the most closely watched members of Trump’s Cabinet because of Republican threats to seek retribution against perceived enemies and concerns among Democrats that he will bend the Justice Department to his will. The recent Supreme Court opinion not only grants extensive immunity to former presidents, but also asserts the president’s exclusive authority over the Justice Department’s investigative functions.
As president, he demanded investigations into political opponents like Hillary Clinton and sought to use the Justice Department’s law enforcement powers to advance his own interests, including trying to overturn the results of the 2020 election.
Ms.Bondi will inherit the Department of Justice is expected to pivot greatly in civil rights, corporate enforcement and prosecutions of hundreds of Trump supporters charged on January 6, 2021, riots in the US Capitol – the accused whom Trump has promised to pardon.
It is impossible Ms. Bondi will be confirmed in time to overlap with Smith, who brought two federal indictments against Trump, both of which are expected to wind down before the president takes office. The special counsel is expected to produce a report on his work that has historically been made public, but it is unclear when the document might be released.
Bribery charges against Bondi
Bondi was accused by a Massachusetts attorney of bribery through a $25,000 campaign contribution he received from Trump in 2013. Bondi requested the donation at the same time his office was questioned about the New York investigation into alleged fraud at Trump. University. In 2017, the complaint was found to lack sufficient evidence to proceed.
In 2013, while serving as Florida attorney general, he publicly apologized for requesting that the execution of a man convicted of murder be delayed because it conflicted with a campaign fundraiser. He said he was wrong and apologized for asking Gov. Rick Scott delayed the execution of Marshall Lee Gore by three weeks.
As Mr. Gaetz seeks to lock down Senate support this week, concerns over sex-trafficking allegations show no signs of abating.
In recent days, attorneys for the two women said their clients told House Ethics Committee investigators that Gaetz paid for sex on multiple occasions beginning in 2017, when Gaetz was a Florida congressman. One of the women testified that she saw Gaetz have sex with a 17-year-old boy at a party in Florida in 2017, according to his attorney, Joel Leppard.
Mr. Gaetz’s political future is uncertain. In a social media post, pointing to the incoming vice president, Mr. Gaetz wrote: “I hope to continue the struggle to save our country. Maybe from a different post.”
Published – 22 November 2024 08:03 IST
