After Democrats Delay, AG Nom Pam Bondi Advances To Full Senate

Pam Bondi, who is President Donald Trump‘s pick to be U.S. attorney general, cleared a key hurdle in the Senate confirmation process after Democrats placed a temporary hold on her nomination last week.

On Wednesday, the Judiciary Committee voted 12-10 along party lines to favorably report Bondi to the full Senate. Leadership may now move toward a final confirmation vote, for which Bondi will need a simple majority.

The Senate Judiciary Committee has favorably reported Pam Bondi’s nomination for Attorney General. Next stop: the Senate floor! ⚖️ pic.twitter.com/D2TqRUyO5r

— Senate Judiciary Republicans (@SenJudiciaryGOP) January 29, 2025

“Congrats to my good friend [Pam Bondi]!” Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) said in a post to X, responding to the panel’s vote. “She will do an incredible job, and I look forward to voting yes on her confirmation on the Senate floor.”

Judiciary Democrats said, “Republicans just advanced Trump’s attorney general nominee to the full Senate, despite her clear intent to side with wealthy special interests and Donald Trump over the American people.”

BREAKING: Senate Judiciary Republicans just advanced Trump’s attorney general nominee to the full Senate, despite her clear intent to side with wealthy special interests and Donald Trump over the American people.

— Senate Judiciary Democrats ???????? (@JudiciaryDems) January 29, 2025

The Senate Judiciary Committee had planned to meet on Bondi’s nomination last week, but the panel announced that its Democrat members instituted a seven-day hold — a move allowed under the rules.

Bondi, a former GOP attorney general of Florida, testified before the panel in a confirmation hearing earlier this month and discussed her priorities if she were confirmed to lead the Department of Justice.

“I will fight every day to restore confidence and integrity to the Department of Justice and each of its components,” Bondi said. “The partisanship, the weaponization, will be gone. America will have one tier of justice for all.”

Also during her confirmation hearing, Bondi made waves when she clashed with some of the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Democrat members, including Sens. Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Alex Padilla (D-CA).

“Senator, what I can tell you is that I will never play politics,” Bondi declared in an exchange with Schiff. “You’re trying to engage me in a ‘gotcha.’ I won’t play politics with any ongoing investigation like you did.”

The GOP-led Senate has so far confirmed six Cabinet nominees for Trump’s second term despite efforts by the Democrats to impede the process, such as forcing procedural votes, and has several more under consideration.

Bondi’s nomination advanced to the full Senate as Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s pick to become Secretary of Health and Human Services, appeared for a confirmation hearing before the Finance Committee.