Who is Pam Bondi? Trump AG pick to face senators' questions in confirmation hearing

WASHINGTON ? President-elect Donald Trump's pick to lead the Justice Department, ex-Florida Attorney General and corporate lobbyist Pam Bondi, is set to face formal questioning from senators as her confirmation hearing kicks off Wednesday.

Bondi, who was a defense lawyer for Trump in his first impeachment trial, is generally expected to be confirmed after Trump's more controversial first pick – former Florida Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz – dropped out. Gaetz faced accusations that he paid women for sex and had sex with a minor. Gaetz has said he gave money to women he dated and strongly denied having intercourse with someone underage.

Still, Bondi could face tough questions about her significant corporate lobbying record and whether she is committed to the Justice Department's independence. Trump critics have expressed concern that he may seek prosecutions against his political rivals and personal foes following the four criminal cases he faced in recent years, which have largely dissolved in the wake of his November election victory.

Here's a look at what to expect ahead of Bondi's 9:30 a.m. EDT confirmation hearing:

Questions on lobbying record?

Bondi, a corporate lobbyist who has represented major firms including Uber and Amazon, will likely face questions about her willingness to be tough on big business if it skirts the law and how she will navigate potential conflicts of interest.

Following her 2011-2019 service as Florida's attorney general, Bondi went to work for lobbying firm Ballard Partners, where she represented large corporations, government contractors, and the embassy of Qatar, according to a review by the nonprofit consumer advocate Public Citizen. Ballard Partners is the same lobbying firm that employed Susie Wiles, Trump's choice for White House chief of staff, for several years.

That past lobbying work could raise conflict-of-interest concerns given the Justice Department's role in investigating and prosecuting the private sector in various ways. In recent years, the department's antitrust division, for example, has gone after several major corporations, including Google, Apple, and Visa.

The Trump transition team didn't respond to a request for comment on how Bondi would navigate potential conflicts of interest as the nation's top law enforcement official.

Resisting Trump White House interference?

Bondi will likely also face questions about whether and how she will maintain independence from the White House, particularly amid fears that Trump may seek to unleash the Justice Department on his rivals.

In August, Trump shared memes on his Truth Social media platform calling for the House committee that investigated the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol to be indicted and depicting President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and others in jumpsuits.

Already, Trump tried to interfere in Justice Department investigations and prosecutions during his first presidency, according to multiple reports.

In 2017, Trump asked then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions to direct the Justice Department to investigate and prosecute Hillary Clinton, according to the Mueller report's description of what Sessions told federal prosecutors. In 2018, Trump told White White House counsel Donald F. McGahn II he wanted to direct the Justice Department to prosecute both Clinton and former FBI director James Comey, according to the New York Times. McGahn arranged a memo warning Trump the move could lead to his impeachment.

Bondi has also demonstrated a significant degree of personal loyalty to the president-elect over several years. She represented him at his first impeachment trial, in which he was accused of withholding aid to Ukraine in order to pressure the Ukrainian government to investigate Joe Biden. She also served as co-chair of Women for Trump during the 2020 election and showed up in May to support him at his New York criminal hush money trial.

Bondi could face specific questions about deciding not to join a New York state lawsuit against Trump University after the Trump Foundation in 2013 donated $25,000 to a political action committee supporting her Florida attorney general re-election bid. Trump later paid the IRS a $2,500 penalty for violating tax laws that prohibit nonprofits from making political contributions, according to the Washington Post.

Bondi was one of several state attorneys general who chose not to pursue the for-profit university around that time, including then-California Attorney General Kamala Harris, whose campaign received $6,000 in donations from Trump from 2011 to 2013, according to the Sacramento Bee. Harris donated those contributions to a nonprofit in 2015.

Stance on election integrity and Jan. 6 Capitol riot?

Bondi may also face questions about what her rise to the top of the Justice Department could mean for its significant work on election integrity and the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol.

By August, the Justice Department had brought charges against nearly 1,500 defendants for their alleged roles in the Jan. 6 riot. Nearly 900 pleaded guilty to a federal charge, and almost 950 were sentenced, according to the department. The department also launched an election threats task force in 2021 to assess alleged threats against election workers.

In the wake of the 2020 election, Bondi helped fuel Trump's false claims that there was widespread voter fraud and he had actually won the election. Speaking after Eric Trump and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani at a press event as votes were still being counted, Bondi expressed concern about poll watcher access to election sites and then falsely claimed, "We've won Pennsylvania and we want every vote to be counted in a fair way."

Once all the votes were counted, the results showed Joe Biden had won Pennsylvania. Numerous recounts and audits have since confirmed Biden's 2020 presidential election victory.

What time is the Pam Bondi confirmation hearing?

Bondi's confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee is set to start at 9:30 a.m. EDT Wednesday. She is slated to face more questions Thursday starting at 10:15 a.m. EDT.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump attorney general nominee Pam Bondi to face senators' questions