Both Tennessee U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Bill Hagerty (R-TN) have signaled they intend to vote to confirm former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi as the next U.S. Attorney General.
Bondi was nominated on Thursday by President-elect Donald Trump only hours after former Representative Matt Gaetz withdrew his nomination, citing the distraction his confirmation could pose to the Trump-Vance administration.
After Trump nominated the former Florida prosecutor, Blackburn called Bondi “our next AG” in a post to the social media platform X.
“You know President Trump has made an outstanding choice when MSNBC is saying, ‘she is a dangerous and effective pick’ who ‘knows what she’s doing,'” wrote Blackburn. “That’s right: [Bondi] is a seasoned prosecutor and a strong, intelligent woman. Congrats to our next AG!”
Senator Bill Hagerty, who has been repeatedly suggested as a possible candidate for Secretary of the Treasury in the Trump administration, similarly wrote to X that he looks forward to voting to confirm Bondi next year.
Hagerty wrote that Bondy, “has a proven recor as a prosecutor in Florida who took down violent criminals and drug traffickers,” and said the former prosecutor will task the Department of Justice (DOJ) with “prosecuting criminals instead of campaign opponents.”
“I look forward to supporting this outstanding choice,” wrote Hagerty.
.@PamBondi has a proven record as a prosecutor in Florida who took down violent criminals and drug traffickers.
She will get DOJ back to prosecuting criminals instead of campaign opponents.
I look forward to supporting this outstanding choice! https://t.co/VOFGA209CI
— Senator Bill Hagerty (@SenatorHagerty) November 22, 2024
Trump praised Bondi for her two decades of prosecutorial experience when the president-elect announced her nomination.
“For too long, the partisan Department of Justice has been weaponized against me and other Republicans—Not anymore,” stated Trump. “Pam will refocus the DOJ to its intended purpose of fighting crime, and Making America Safe Again.”
Bondi served as Florida’s first female attorney general from 2010 until 2018 before later being appointed by the Trump administration during the Opioid and Drug Abuse Commission.
She was also part of Trump’s defense team during the Democrats’ second impeachment inquiry when she introduced information about the allegedly corrupt dealings between Hunter Biden, President Joe Biden, and the Ukrainian energy company Burisma.
Both Hagerty and Blackburn previously indicated they would vote to confirm Gaetz, with Blackburn expressing confidence he would ultimately be confirmed just one day before the Florida Republican withdrew his nomination.
Gaetz explained, “While the momentum was strong, it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance Transition.”
Despite Gaetz’s decision to withdraw his nomination, Trump reportedly set a presidential record with his rapid announcements, nominating 16 cabinet members within two weeks of Election Day. Confirmation hearings for those Trump has nominated to cabinet positions could begin as early as January 3, when the new Congress begins its session.
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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Pennsylvania Daily Star and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Pam Bondi” by Pam Bondi. Photo “Bill Hagerty” and “Marsha Blackburn” by Marsha Blackburn.
