One of Donald Trump’s most loyal supporters has just been picked for one of the most important roles in his second administration.
Pam Bondi, Florida’s former attorney general, was selected by Trump as the nation’s top law enforcement official on Thursday, just hours after Matt Gaetz withdrew from consideration amid Senate opposition.
Bondi is a partner at Ballard Partners, the lobbying firm led by Trump’s new chief of staff, Susie Wiles, and whose founder, Brian Ballard, is a leading Trump fundraiser. She co-chairs the law and justice division of the pro-Trump America First Policy Institute, which has been likened to a Trump administration in waiting.
Bondi has been a longtime ally of Trump and after he was elected in 2016, her name was floated for several positions in the administration, but that never materialized.
She appears more likely to find an easier path to confirmation as attorney general than Gaetz, who has been dogged by allegations of sexual misconduct and illegal drug use.
Here are five things you need to know about Bondi:
She was the first female attorney general in Florida
Bondi served as Florida’s attorney general from 2011 to 2019 and was the first woman to hold the office. She launched a state lawsuit against opioid manufacturers. It was settled after she left office.
She left office due to term limits and worked for Trump’s transition team after his first victory.
She has a close relationship with Lara Trump
Bondi has a close relationship with Lara Trump, the president-elect’s daughter-in-law and chair of the Republican National Committee. The two campaigned together against a ban on dog racing in the state.
On Tuesday, Bondi advocated for Lara Trump to replace Senator Marco Rubio, Trump’s chosen secretary of state.
She is a former Trump lawyer
Bondi assisted Trump in his first impeachment battle as a senior adviser and lawyer, making the rounds on TV to help his cause. Trump was impeached on charges of abusing his power and obstructing congressional investigations, but the Senate acquitted him of these charges.
She ignored the Trump University fraud case
In 2016, news emerged that Trump had paid a $2,500 fine because his foundation improperly donated $25,000 to Bondi’s political election committee in 2013 before her office opted not to open a fraud investigation into Trump University. Trump ultimately paid $25 million to settle fraud charges against the now-defunct university.
Bondi said she was unaware of Trump University’s complaints at the time and that the contribution had nothing to do with her office’s decision not to pursue the case. Trump has said he admired Bondi for never turning away from him during the controversy.
Her battle for dog custody played out publicly
Bondi was involved in a custody battle with Hurricane Katrina victims over a Saint Bernard she adopted in 2005 after the dog was separated from his family during the storm.
The family had tried to find the dog and Bondi refused to return it. She accused the family of neglecting the animal, a claim they denied.
The family sued and the dispute lasted sixteen months until the two sides reached a pre-trial settlement. Bondi returned the dog to the family with food and medicine.
