Attorney General Pam Bondi pushed back against questions from Democrats on several issues, including investigations into President Trump's adversaries, National Guard deployments and the Jeffrey Epstein files.

Washington

Attorney General Pam Bondi testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee for the first time since her confirmation, where she faced rigorous questioning from Democratic senators. Topics included investigations into President Trump's political opponents, the deployment of the National Guard to cities such as Chicago, and the Justice Department's handling of Jeffrey Epstein files. 

Bondi declined to confirm whether she had discussed investigations with President Trump and did not commit to the Justice Department's independence from political influence, instead emphasizing her efforts to end what she described as the weaponization of the department. Her responses drew criticism from Democrats, who argued that she blurred the traditional separation between the Justice Department and the White House, while Republicans praised her approach. Bondi also engaged in a heated exchange with Senator Dick Durbin over the legal basis for National Guard deployments, with her justification differing from official administration statements.

Pam Bondi pushes back against Senate Democrates at hearing

Senators on the Judiciary Committee grilled Attorney General Pam Bondi on Capitol Hill today. It is the first time Bondi has testified before the panel since her confirmation. And she pushed back against questions from Democrats on several issues, including investigations into President Trump's adversaries, National Guard deployments and the Jeffrey Epstein files. Our memo on Epstein clearly points out that there was no client list. You know, Senator Durbin, I find it very interesting that you refused repeated Republican requests to release the Epstein flight logs in 2023 and 2024. I wish you love Chicago as much as you hate President Trump. And currently, the National Guard are on the way to Chicago. If you're not going to protect your citizens, President Trump will. And for more on this, let's bring in CBS News Homeland Security correspondent Nicole Skanga. Nicole, always very good to see you here. Nancy Day also heated conversations up there. Attorney General Pam Bondi also questioned about whether the Justice Department is independent from the White House and the demands of President Trump. What stood out to you about her response? And how independent is the DOJ typically from the executive branch? Good to be with you, Nancy. Attorney General Bondi really refused to say whether she's even discussed investigations into Trump's political opponents with the president himself. Instead, we heard her deflect, calling Trump the most transparent president in history. And when she was repeatedly pressed by Democratic senators, she declined to commit that DOJ acts free of political influence, saying only that she is ending the weaponization of the Justice Department. Now, that is a pretty sharp break from how past attorneys general have at least publicly pledged to keep DOJ really insulated from the Oval Office, especially since Watergate. I mean, presidents have largely shied away from steering individual prosecutions. So Democrats today arguing her comments really blur that line, while we heard from Republicans who praised Bondi for restoring fairness here. And Nicole, Bondi also got into quite a heated exchange there with Democratic Senator Dick Durbin from Illinois about the reason the Trump administration wants to send the Guard, the National Guard, to American cities, particularly Chicago. What did she say there? Yeah, this was a pretty fiery exchange, Durbin pressing Bondi to explain the legal basis for these deployments and whether the White House ever really consulted with the Justice Department prior, Bondi refusing to answer, saying she wouldn't discuss her internal conversations. You heard him there. When Durbin accused her of dodging oversight, Bondi just shot back and said, I wish you loved Chicago as much as you hate President Trump. She claimed the Guard is being sent because, quote, if you're not going to protect your citizens, President Trump will. That comment, we should note, does appear at odds, however, with the Trump administration's and the Pentagon's justification for really sending the National Guard. The orders say the soldiers are there for enforcement of federal law and facilities at locations where demonstrations are happening. Nancy? NICOLE SCHENKER, The Washington Post. Always very good to see you. Thank you very much.

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