President-elect Donald Trump announced last week that he would nominate former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi to lead the Justice Department, and asked how Bondi, a longtime prosecutor and close ally of Trump, would lead the judiciary. This ended a series of speculations about whether he would lead the ministry. .
Former colleagues who knew her best from her time as a Florida attorney, including a Democratic attorney general candidate whom she later promoted as a drug trafficker, described Bondi in a series of interviews as saying there was more consensus on her leadership style. He described him as an experienced litigation lawyer. More bridge builders than bridge builders, his tenure may create less friction among rank-and-file Justice Department employees than early critics feared.
People close to Bondi told Fox News Digital that Bondi is likely to support many of the same priorities he did when he was a Florida prosecutor, primarily focusing on drug trafficking and He will be responsible for cracking down on illegal imports of fentanyl and running the Department of Justice. Enforces fair treatment of both political and career appointees alike.
Regarding Bondi's record, Florida State's Attorney Nicholas Cox told Fox News Digital: “From a lawyer's perspective, this woman knows how to be a lawyer and a trial lawyer.” spoke. “There's no question about that.”
Here are some ways her stay in Florida could impact her tenure as attorney general.
President-elect Donald Trump and AG candidate Pam Bondi (AP | Getty)
Drug enforcement:
In Florida, Bondi was elected attorney general in 2010 and quickly earned a reputation for cracking down on opioids and the many “pill mills” operating in the Sunshine State. At the time, Florida “was the epicenter of the opioid crisis,” Florida Attorney Nicholas Cox said in an interview.
This place was also the center of so-called drug tourism. Out-of-state residents traveled to Florida from across the country to buy large quantities of opioids, relying on the state's large number of pharmacies, “cash-only” clinics, and lack of medical facilities. Legislation has been enacted throughout the state to allow the purchase of addictive drugs with virtually no restrictions.
When Bondi took office, about seven people were dying every day from opioids, Palm Beach County State's Attorney Dave Aronberg, Bondi's former drug kingpin, said in an interview.
He also said that at the time, Florida had “more pain clinics than McDonald's stores,” which speaks to the seriousness of the problem.
Aaron Berg, a Democrat who ran against Bondi in 2010 before Bondi was appointed attorney general, said his former boss was “most responsible for cleaning out Florida's destructive pill factories.” It is acknowledged that
They are promoting legislation to help eliminate pill mills in the state, Bondy's crackdown on doctors and clinics responsible for mass prescribing painkillers, and Florida's “statewide prescription drug diversion and abuse program.” It points to Mr. Bondi's efforts to implement the “Roadmap.” Maximize coordination of federal, state, and local efforts to end the crisis.
She then served on the Opioid and Substance Abuse Commission during President Trump's first term.
If confirmed by the U.S. attorney general, Bondi said he would continue to focus on cracking down on illegal drugs on a national scale.
Former colleagues of Mr. Bondi told Fox News Digital that they expect him to bring the same strategy to Washington. This time, the aim is to crack down on cartels involved in drug trafficking, illegal use of fentanyl, and cross-border drug smuggling.
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Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi presented a court order giving the Trump campaign greater access to vote-counting operations in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
When working across the aisle:
Mr. Bondi was a longtime prosecutor in Florida, first serving as a prosecutor in the Hillsborough County State's Attorney's Office before being elected state attorney general in 2010.
Cox, the Florida prosecutor, noted that Bondi's career was largely shaped by his 18 years in the Florida District Attorney's Office, a career that was not influenced by politics.
There, the main focus is “cooperation,” an ethos that Cox said extends to “prosecutors, law enforcement, and even public defenders.” “We all worked together and the result was a really strong criminal justice system,” Cox said.
“We all worked together and the result was a really strong criminal justice system,” Cox said.
Aronberg echoed this assessment. The Palm Beach County state's attorney served as a Democrat in the state senate before running for attorney general. He then defected in favor of his Democratic opponent.
But after the election, Bondi made him drug czar. Aronberg and others say this unconventional behavior shows Bondi is committed to solving problems and focusing on his top priorities.
Aronberg said a lot of things about her were “understood because she was getting a lot of criticism, chilling criticism, from some members of her own party who were upset that she chose a Democrat for this role.” It was said,” he said.
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He added that Bondi was “not seen as a very partisan figure” in Florida, and that his “strong working relationship with Democrats” continued even after he became state attorney general. listed.
“She'll support any bill whether it's a Democrat or a Republican,” Aronberg said, and in return she's been well-received across the aisle.
pam bondi (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call, via Getty Images)
President Trump's “enemies”
In announcing Bondi's nomination for attorney general, Trump again took aim at the Justice Department, characterizing it as being “armed” against him.
“Pam will refocus the Department of Justice on its original purpose of fighting crime and making America safe again,” Trump said in a statement.
But people close to Ms. Bondi say they don't consider her an overly political figure, and that her years of experience as a litigator and state attorney general make her more likely to take on the role, including President Trump's call. He said he believes it will help him navigate the unique political pressures of the United States. Go after so-called “enemies” within the Justice Department.
Mr. Bondi himself has echoed calls to “investigate the agents” involved in the special counsel's investigation into Donald Trump, but former colleagues say Mr. Bondi has She said she believes she has learned from previous Justice Department leaders, including former special counsel John Durham. He was appointed by Barr to investigate allegations of wrongdoing in the Trump-Russia investigation.
“I've been telling my Democratic friends not to overreact because we've been through this before,” Aaronberg said, referring to the investigation by Durham's special counsel. said.
“I think we’re going to see more of that happen” over the next four years, he said.
But Aaronberg sees differences between Bondi and others, including Trump's former attorney general nominee Matt Gaetz.
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Bondi “is not going to burn the house down,” Aaronberg said. “She's not going to fabricate evidence as a way to get rid of Trump's enemies in handcuffs.”
