Lindsey Graham - Ranking Member on the Senate Committee on the Judiciary | Official U.S. Senate headshot
Lindsey Graham - Ranking Member on the Senate Committee on the Judiciary | Official U.S. Senate headshot
U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin, who serves as the Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, has formally requested information from the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). The request is related to President-elect Trump's nominee for Attorney General, Pam Bondi.
Pam Bondi has been a lobbyist with Ballard Partners since January 2019, excluding a brief period at the end of 2019. Her role involved acting as a Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) registered lobbyist for various foreign governments and officials, including those from the Dominican Republic, Qatar, Zimbabwe, and Kosovo. Despite this work, Bondi did not list these engagements as potential conflicts of interest in her Senate Judiciary Questionnaire.
Durbin emphasized in his letter to DOJ that understanding "the extent to which [Bondi’s] work as a FARA-registered lobbyist may create potential conflicts of interest should she be confirmed as Attorney General" is crucial. He highlighted that FARA-registered lobbyists are required to submit copies of their contracts or conditions of oral agreements with foreign principals to DOJ.
Additionally, Durbin seeks further information from NARA regarding any possible conflicts arising from Bondi's lobbying activities.
The Senator has asked both DOJ and NARA to provide the requested information by January 15, 2025, ahead of Bondi's nomination hearing.
The full letters sent to DOJ and NARA are available for public viewing.
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