Welch Statement on Firing of Pam Bondi as Attorney General

Apr 2, 2026
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.),a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement after President Trump announced he fired Attorney General Pam Bondi:
“Pam Bondi was a loyalist through and through. Instead of upholding and enforcing the rule of law, Attorney General Bondi transformed the Department of Justice into a tool to do President Trump’s bidding. Instead of protecting the rights and freedoms of all Americans, she oversaw an erosion of justice in America through the dismantling of the Civil Rights Division,”said Senator Welch. “Pam Bondi’s departure will not change President Trump’s intentions—he believes the Justice Department works for him, not the American people. Will the next nominee say no to President Trump’s continued efforts to use DOJ as a tool to attack his perceived political enemies? Can they protect and defend DOJ’s independence? As a member of the Judiciary Committee, I will vote against any nominee that fails to meet this bar. The Justice Department does not answer to the White House, and it is long past time for an Attorney General who believes in the mission of this critical department.”
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