US Attorney General Pam Bondi clashed with Senate Democrats on Tuesday during a judiciary committee hearing, as she defended the Trump administration's deployment of National Guard troops to Democratic-led cities and refused to discuss several controversial decisions.
Bondi personally attacked senators, including Dick Durbin of Illinois, when questioned about the rationale for sending troops to Chicago. 'You voted to shut down the government, and you're sitting here. Our law enforcement officers aren't being paid,' she said, adding: 'If you're not going to protect your citizens, President Trump will.'
Democrats accused Bondi of politicising the Justice Department, citing the indictment of former FBI director James Comey and the dropping of an investigation into border czar Tom Homan. Bondi declined to discuss the Comey case, calling it 'pending', and said the Homan probe found 'no credible evidence of any wrongdoing'.
The hearing also touched on the Epstein files, with Durbin pressing Bondi on why she previously claimed a list of clients existed but later said she had not reviewed it. Bondi shot back, asking Durbin if he had taken campaign donations from billionaire Reid Hoffman, a former Epstein associate.
Durbin warned Bondi she would eventually have to answer for her conduct, as the session highlighted ongoing tensions over the administration's use of federal troops and the Justice Department's independence.
