U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, pressed federal agencies on Friday to provide information about Pam Bondi’s past role as a foreign lobbyist. Bondi, former Florida attorney general and President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for attorney general, has lobbied for foreign governments and officials, including the Dominican Republic, Qatar, Zimbabwe, and Kosovo. Durbin’s concerns focus on potential conflicts of interest that Bondi failed to disclose in her Senate Judiciary questionnaire.
Bondi’s lobbying career also includes work for U.S.-based companies such as Uber Technologies, Amazon, Major League Baseball, and private prison company Geo Group. Durbin’s letters to the Department of Justice (DOJ) and U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) request information on Bondi’s lobbying activities, including registration statements, contracts, and communication records with White House officials.
Durbin’s inquiry comes ahead of Bondi’s confirmation hearings scheduled for next week. Bondi, who served as Florida’s attorney general from 2011 to 2019, joined the lobbying firm Ballard Partners after leaving office, a firm with strong ties to Trump. Durbin expressed concerns that Bondi may struggle to remain independent and put her loyalty to Trump aside if confirmed as attorney general.
