One of Donald Trump’s most loyal supporters just got picked for one of the most important roles in his second administration.
Pam Bondi, the former attorney general of Florida, was chosen Thursday to be the nation’s top law enforcement official by Trump just hours after Matt Gaetz withdrew from consideration in the face of Senate opposition.
Bondi is a partner at Ballard Partners, the lobbying firm that had been run by Trump’s incoming chief of staff Susie Wiles and whose founder, Brian Ballard, is a top Trump fundraiser. She is co-chair of the law and justice division at the pro-Trump America First Policy Institute, which has been likened to a Trump administration in waiting.
Bondi is a longtime Trump ally and after he was elected in 2016, her name was floated for various jobs in the administration but it never panned out.
She appears more likely to have an easier path to confirmation as attorney general than Gaetz, who was dogged by allegations of sexual misconduct and illegal drug use.
Here are five things to know about Bondi:
She was the first female attorney general in Florida
Bondi served as Florida’s attorney general from 2011-2019, the first woman to hold the office. She initiated the state’s litigation against opioid manufacturers. It was settled after she left office.
She left office because of term limits and worked for Trump’s transition team after his first victory.
She has a close relationship with Lara Trump
Bondi has a close relationship with Lara Trump, the president-elect’s daughter-in-law and chair of the Republican National Committee. The two campaigned together against a ban on dog racing in the state.
On Tuesday, Bondi advocated for Lara Trump to be the replacement for Sen. Marco Rubio, Trump’s pick for secretary of State.
She’s a former Trump lawyer
Bondi assisted Trump in his first impeachment fight as a senior adviser and lawyer, making the rounds on TV to help his case. Trump was impeached on charges of abusing his power and obstructing congressional investigations but the Senate acquitted him of the charges.
She nixed the Trump University fraud case
In 2016, news emerged that Trump paid a $2,500 fine because his foundation improperly donated $25,000 to Bondi’s political election committee in 2013 before her office opted not to pursue a fraud investigation into Trump University. Trump eventually paid $25 million to settle fraud complaints against the now-defunct university.
Bondi said she was unaware of Trump University complaints at the time and that the contribution had nothing to do with her office’s decision not to pursue the case. Trump has said he admired Bondi for never backing away from him amid the controversy.
Her dog custody battle played out publicly
Bondi was involved in a custody battle with Hurricane Katrina victims over a St. Bernard she adopted in 2005 after the dog was separated from his family during the storm.
The family had been trying to find the dog and Bondi refused to return him. She accused the family of neglecting the animal, an allegation they denied.
The family sued, and the dispute lasted 16 months until the two sides settled before trial. Bondi returned the dog to the family with food and medication.
