Soon afterwards it announced that Pam Bondi, the former attorney general of Florida, would seek the top position at the Justice Department instead.
Ms Bondi, 59, who served as Florida’s attorney general from 2011 to 2019 and represented the president-elect at his first impeachment trial in the Senate, is both an experienced public official and a long-time Trump ally. Mr Gaetz reacted to the choice on X/Twitter by calling her “a stellar selection” as well as “a proven litigator, an inspiring leader and a champion for all Americans”.
South Carolina Republican senator Lindsey Graham was even more effusive, posting: “Well done, Mr President. Picking Pam Bondi for Attorney General is a grand slam, touchdown, hole in one, ace, hat trick, slam dunk, Olympic gold medal pick. She will be confirmed quickly because she deserves to be confirmed quickly.”
Donal Trump and Ms Bondi have ties that date back over a decade, to when Bondi was serving as Florida’s first female attorney general. In 2013, as Ms Bondi’s office was receiving complaints from people alleging they had been scammed by the future president’s Trump University seminars, her political committee received a $25,000 donation from the Donald J Trump Foundation.
While New York pursued lawsuits related to the seminars, the Sunshine State did not. Both Mr Trump and Ms Bondi have denied the donation was improper or related to the charging decision. That wasn’t the only campaign-related scandal in her time in Florida. That same year, she persuaded then-governor Rick Scott to reschedule the execution of convicted murderer Marshall Lee Fore to accommodate a fundraiser.
Bu hikaye The Independent dergisinin November 23, 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye The Independent dergisinin November 23, 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
Canal threat is latest drama in Trump's Panama history
Donald Trump strained North American diplomatic relations over the weekend with a threat to retake the Panama Canal, two and a half decades after the US transferred control of the vital global trade route to Panama.
Hong Kong issues arrest warrant for teenage activist
A 19-year-old pro-democracy activist who went from finishing secondary school in the UK to becoming one of Hong Kong's most wanted critics has vowed that she will not be silenced by Chinese fear and suppression.
Prepay meters costing up to third of households' income
Households on prepayment meters in the UK could see their energy bills cost up to a third of their household income this winter, new research has warned.
Families hit by surge in no fault evictions before ban
\"Exactly one week before Christmas we are surrounded by boxes with no home to go to,\" says Ana*, a mother of two from Sheffield.
Thousands of armed forces personnel not medically fit for war, government says
More than 10,000 people in the armed forces are deemed not medically fit for deployment, the Ministry of Defence has said.
Mauritius holds out on Chagos Islands deal again
Mauritius has rejected Sir Keir Starmer's deal to hand the Chagos Islands over to the country, in a humiliating blow for the prime minister.
Nato can't defend Europe from Russia without US, say alliance's frontline leaders
Nato is \"not ready\" to fight against Vladimir Putin's Russia without the US, the leaders of the alliance's three frontline states have told The Independent, as they called on allies to drastically increase defence spending.
Archbishop to say Church 'must kneel in penitence'
Christmas Day message follows on from abuse scandal
Starmer delivers Christmas message for ‘lonely people'
Sir Keir Starmer has delivered his Christmas message to the nation, saying his \"thoughts are with all those who are lonely\" over the festive season.
'We had children going to sleep in the reading corner'
Holly Evans speaks to families whose children are benefiting from the 900 beds your generosity helped us to buy last year
