By The American Tribune | Created at 2025-01-17 14:22:27 | Updated at 2025-01-20 16:56:07
4 days ago
Things got heated when the United States Senate held its first confirmation hearing for Pam Bondi, the conservative legal superstar from Florida who Trump has picked to be his Attorney General. While a great many Senators tried attacking her as their colleagues had attacked Pete Hegseth, she fought back, much like Mr. Hegseth did, demolishing them. That included when she was attacked by Sen. Adam Schiff.
The main spat between Sen. Schiff and Ms. Bondi occurred when she refused to say whether she would investigate former special counsel Jack Smith, the former DOJ apparatchik who was noted mainly for his since-dropped prosecution of President-elect Donald Trump for alleged election interference and mishandling classified documents. She also refused to comment on whether she would investigate former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney, co-leader of the J6 Subcommittee.
Commenting on what she will and won’t do as regards investigating Mr. Jack Smith, Ms. Bondi said, “I haven’t seen the file. I haven’t seen the investigation. I haven’t looked at anything. It would be irresponsible of me to make a commitment regarding anything.” She added, I will look at the facts and the circumstances.”
Shooting back, Sen. Schiff snapped that she couldn’t hide behind claiming sensitive information about an investigation, saying, “You’re not a part of the Department yet. There’s no worry about divulging law enforcement sensitive information. So just tell us, are you aware of a factual predicate to investigate Jack Smith, yes or no?”
Ms. Bondi started responding, saying, “What I am hearing in the news.” Interrupting her, Schiff said, “You seem reluctant to answer a simple question.” Continuing, and not letting her respond, Sen. Schiff then asked about former Rep. Liz Cheney and if that turncoat congresswoman will be investigated by the DOJ under Bondi.
Pressing her on that matter, the California Senator asked, “Let me ask you a different simple question. The president also wants to jail Liz Cheney.” Continuing, and in the process demanding a direct answer on if Cheney should be investigated, he snapped, “Sitting here today, are you aware of any factual basis to investigate Liz Cheney? Yes or no?”
Refusing to give him the answer he wanted, AG Bondi told him that she would not answer hypothetical questions. That sent Sen. Schiff into a furious rage. Responding in a fiery rant, he snapped, “Hypothetical? I’m asking you sitting here today whether you are aware of a factual predicate to investigate Liz Cheney.”
After a bit more back and forth, Schiff asked, “Can you tell him that [he] lost the 2020 election? Can you say that? Do you have the independence to say that you have the gravitas, the stature, the intestinal fortitude to say, ’Donald Trump, you lost the 2020, election.’ Can you tell us that here today?” Bondi told him, “Senator, what I can tell you is, I will never play politics. You’re trying to engage me in a gotcha.”
Schiff then retorted, in a huff, “If you can speak truth to power.” And, obliterating Sen. Schiff with an epic retort, she fired back, referring to a 2018 incident involving Mr. Schiff, then on the House Select Intelligence Committee, and Rep. Nunes, “Like you did when you leaked your colleague’s Devin Nunes’ memo?”
At another point, Bondi said, slamming Schiff for his false claims, “I’m not going to mislead this body, nor you. You were censured by Congress for comments like these.” She added, “You’re so worried about Liz Cheney. Do you know what we should be worried about? The crime rate in California right now is through the roof. Your robberies are 87% higher than the national average.”
Watch them here:
Conservative X personality Collin Rugg, commenting on the exchange and Ms. Bondi’s refusal to go along with Adam Schiff’s games, instead calling him out, said, “Trump’s attorney general pick Pam Bondi just went toe-to-toe with Adam Schiff for 7 minutes, calling him out for constantly lying to the American people. 🔥🔥”
Featured image credit: screengrab from the embedded video
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