Attorney General nominee Pam Bondi reportedly reminded Democratic California Senator Adam Schiff that he had been censured by Congress for making purportedly “reckless” remarks, which she asserted were just like those he made during her confirmation hearing on Wednesday.
Schiff interrogated the candidate over her capacity to independently refuse any potentially criminal directives from President-elect Donald Trump and to provide counsel that may diverge from his perspectives.
“So will it be your advice to the president, ‘Mr. President, I know you want to issue hundreds of pardons on day one.’ Will it be your advice to the president, ‘No, Mr. President, I need to go over them on a case-by-case basis, do not issue blanket pardons, will that be your advice to the president?” Schiff asked her.
“Senator, I have not looked at any of those files. If confirmed, I will look at the files for the pardons, as well as the ongoing investigations,” Bondi replied.
As their discourse became even more antagonistic, Bondi referenced Schiff’s prior rebuke in June 2023 for his behavior during the inquiry into the discredited allegations of Trump’s collusion with Russia in 2016.
“Hey, can I answer the question? I would have plenty of staff. You said ‘of course you won’t.’ Listen, I’m not gonna mislead this body nor you … you were censured by Congress senator for comments just like this that are so reckless.” Bondi said.
On June 21, 2023, Republican Florida Representative Anna Paulina Luna proposed a motion to reprimand Schiff for allegedly asserting he possessed evidence of collusion between Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign and the Russian government during his tenure as chairman of the House Intelligence Committee.
In January 2023, former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy expelled Schiff from the Intelligence Committee due to his conduct at the commencement of the 118th Congress.
Chairman Barry Loudermilk of the House Administration Oversight Subcommittee issued an interim report in mid-December, alleging that Cheney had “colluded” with Cassidy Hutchinson, a former witness for the January 6 Select Committee, by secretly communicating with her without her attorney’s knowledge and assisting her in securing new legal representation.
The report prompted Trump to demand a criminal investigation of Cheney based on the facts presented.
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