Trump to Pam Bondi: 'You're Fired!' Florida's former AG is second cabinet member sacked -- so far

Breaking News

Attorney General Pam Bondi is out.

Her firing today represents the second Cabinet official to be sacked by President Donald Trump. She follows Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem who got the pink slip less than a month ago.

Bondi’s tenure as the nation’s top law enforcement officer will be remembered for her willingness to sacrifice the Department of Justice’s independence, her weaponization of the DOJ as a tool for Trump’s vengeance on political opponents, her nasty relations with Congress, and her gross mishandling of the Epstein scandal.

Before being picked by Trump to run the Justice Department, Bondi had served as the attorney general of Florida, where she was reported to have dropped a fraud investigation into Trump University after receiving a $25,000 donation from Trump.

She was widely regarded as among Trump’s most loyal minions and seemed to relish the role as his personal attack dog.

Oddly, despite her demonstrations of fealty, she never was Trump’s first choice for the job. Trump originally tried to appoint former Florida U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, who had to withdraw his candidacy amid allegations of sexual misconduct.

From the Associated Press:

The announcement follows months of scrutiny over the Justice Department’s handling of files related to Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking investigation that made Bondi the target of angry conservatives even with her close relationship with Trump. She also struggled to satisfy Trump’s demands to prosecute his political rivals, with multiple investigations rejected by judges or grand juries or yet to produce charges.

Trump named Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche as the acting attorney general, though three people familiar with the matter have said he has privately discussed Lee Zeldin, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency, as a permanent pick.

… Her departure continues a trend of Justice Department upheaval that has defined Trump’s presidency as multiple attorneys general across his two terms have either been pushed out or resigned after proving unwilling or unable to meet his demands for the position…

“You’ve turned the People’s Department of Justice into Trump’s instrument of revenge,” Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary committee, said at a February hearing.

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J.C. Bruce is the founder of Tropic Press, a Florida online news service dedicated to sharing news and commentary relevant to Florida readers, whether it originates in the Sunshine State or elsewhere. Bruce is an award-winning former newspaper editor, journalist and author living in Florida, his native state.

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