Schiff and Bondi clash during tense confirmation hearing: "You were disciplined"

On Wednesday, Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., confronted Pam Bondi, President-elect Trump's nominee for the Department of Justice, about her stance on prosecuting Trump's political opponents.

Bondi was questioned by Schiff, a vocal critic of the president-elect, regarding whether she would investigate former Special Counsel Jack Smith and former Rep. Liz Cheney.

He asked me if I was aware of a factual predicate to investigate Liz Cheney while we were sitting here today.

"I did not receive any request to investigate Liz Cheney, that is purely speculative," she stated.

She countered Schiff's argument by pointing out the high crime rate in California.

"The crime rate in California is alarmingly high, with your robberies being 87% higher than the national average. This is what I want to focus on, senator."

Schiff claimed that Bondi's responses indicated she lacked the autonomy to refuse the president's orders. He subsequently inquired whether she would relay to Trump the results of the 2020 election, which Bondi countered by accusing Schiff of engaging in politics and disclosing Rep. Devin Nunes' memo.

She stated that she would never participate in politics and that the person attempting to engage her in a "gotcha" was unsuccessful.

Schiff countered, inquiring whether she would advise against President-elect Trump issuing blanket pardons and acknowledging that she wouldn't be able to review every file on the first day.

"Of course you won't be able to review hundreds of cases on day one," Schiff said.

Bondi was furious at Schiff's comments.

"You were censured by Congress, senator, for making reckless comments like this, and I won't deceive you or this body," she stated.

In 2023, Schiff was censured for promoting claims that Trump's 2016 presidential campaign colluded with Russia, making him the third House member to be censured in the past century.

The former Florida AG had a sharp exchange with Democrat lawmakers, including Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., who asked her about the weaponization of the DOJ.

"Is it appropriate for a prosecutor to begin with a suspect's name and search for a crime?" Whitehouse questioned. "No, a prosecutor's duty is to begin with a crime and search for a suspect. That's correct."

Bondi responded by highlighting the federal government’s investigations into Trump.

"The weaponization we've witnessed in the past four years, particularly concerning Donald Trump, is the root of the issue, according to Senator Bondi," she stated.