Five Key Points from Pam Bondi's Partisan Senate Testimony

Pam Bondi's testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee was expected to be a contentious, partisan affair. It lived up to that billing.

It was the attorney general's first appearance at a congressional oversight hearing - and it was a timely one.

Two weeks ago, her justice department indicted former FBI Director James Comey, triggering an outcry from Democratic politicians.

Her testimony on Tuesday also came just a day after a group of former justice department employees released a letter accusing Bondi of helping to take a sledgehammer to longstanding work the department has done to protect communities and the rule of law.

Nerves were raw, and Bondi was clearly ready for a fight. Here are five takeaways from the hearing.

1) Bondi goes on the attack

Recent Trump administration officials, including Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr and FBI Director Kash Patel, have relied on a clear playbook for testimony before hostile congressional committees. Go on the attack early and often. That strategy was on display throughout Bondi's testimony. When pressed on National Guard deployments, she said she wished Illinois Senator Dick Durbin and California Senator Alex Padilla loved their states as much as they hate Donald Trump. When questioned about Jeffrey Epstein, she noted that several Democratic senators had taken money from deep-pocketed donors who had ties to the late convicted sex trafficker.

2) Lots of questions, few answers

When Bondi wasn't going on the attack, she frequently declined to comment on questions from both Democrats and Republicans. She said she wouldn't discuss personnel matters when questioned about the spate of senior level justice department firings, including top FBI officials and a US lawyer who had recommended against the Comey indictment. She wouldn't comment on ongoing investigations and legal proceedings – including the Comey case. California Senator Adam Schiff remarked after listing Bondi's evasive answers, This is supposed to be an oversight hearing where members of Congress can get serious answers to serious questions. Bondi quipped back, I think you owe the president an apology for your entire career.

3) Bondi keen to focus on crime

Bondi appeared determined to focus on what she said was the Trump administration's goal of reducing crime in the US. She was quick to cite statistics that she said showed their successes – the number of arrests in Washington DC, the drug crackdowns and illegal firearm confiscations in Chicago, the drug seizures at the border. We are returning to our core mission of fighting real crime, Bondi said.

4) But Democrats focus on Epstein

A source of particular heat for Bondi over the past few months has been the justice department's handling of its investigation into Epstein. Most of the hearing involved Democrats peppering Bondi with Epstein-related questions, which she largely evaded. This inquiry led to bipartisan interest from some Republicans who joined Democrats in calling for more transparency.

5) Republicans look back in anger

While Democrats focused on perceived weaponization of the justice department, many Republicans appeared more intent on revisiting grievances from the Biden presidency or earlier. Bondi supported the Republican outcry, resulting in a partisan battleground that left both sides accusing each other of misconduct and politicization.