Durbin Questions President-Elect Trump's Pick To Be Attorney General, Pam Bondi, On The Dangers Of Kash Patel's Comments On QAnon, Violence Against Our Capitol Police Officers On January 6
Bondi failed to reject President Trump's "blanket pardons" statement on the insurrectionists who attacked our Capitol police officers on January 6
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today again questioned Pam Bondi, President-elect Trump’s pick to be Attorney General of the United States, during her nomination hearing. Durbin first asked Ms. Bondi about political violence and the dangers of the QAnon conspiracy movement.
“Violence is never acceptable when it comes to political expression, period,” said Durbin.
Ms. Bondi responded, “of course I agree.”
“I abhor that sort of thing happening when it comes to conservative Supreme Court justices, and I abhor it when it comes to Nancy Pelosi’s husband being attacked in his home. We should all say unequivocally both are unacceptable. I think you agree, correct?” asked Durbin.
Ms. Bondi responded that she agreed.
Durbin then asked Ms. Bondi about her views on President-elect Trump’s FBI Director nominee, Kash Patel, whom she praised in the first round of questioning. When asked about the QAnon conspiracy movement, whose core belief is that a cabal of Satanic, cannibalistic child molesters, embedded within the government, are conspiring against President-elect Trump, Patel said that he“agree[s] with a lot of what that movement says.”
“Does that sound like a good preparation to run the FBI?” Durbin asked.
Ms. Bondi responded that while she has heard of QAnon, she has not heard the definition Durbin laid out and that he will have to ask Mr. Patel about it—failing to condemn Patel’s comment.
“We will [ask him about his comments on QAanon], and until we get answers to those questions, I don’t know many on this side of the table [who] will give him unequivocal endorsement,” said Durbin. “This and his enemies list, what when he calls his ‘government gangsters.’ This is what you expect of Stasi, this is what you expect of the secret police. It is not what you expect of justice in America—as you’ve even described it at the table today. This unequivocal support of Mr. Patel should have some reservation until he explains some of these outrageous positions he has taken.”
To Durbin’s remarks, Ms. Bondi stated that she “looks forward to hearing his testimony about QAanon in front of this Committee.”
Durbin then double-downed on his questions around January 6—the day a mob of Trump-inspired thugs attacked and trashed the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to overturn a free, fair, and valid election. Durbin reflected on the bravery of our Capitol police officers on January 6 and highlighted some of the insurrectionists—including Kenneth Bonawitz—a member of the so-called ‘Proud Boys,’ an alt-right group. Bonawitz assaulted at least six officers, placing one in a chokehold and lifting him up by the neck. Bonawitz injured one officer so severely that he had to retire.
“Can you understand why when Donald Trump says, ‘when I’m inaugurated as President, I will issue a blanket pardon to these political prisoners,’ we view this as an outrage on our side? These men and women risk their lives for us every day and they almost died—some of them did die [resulting from] the course of this attack. Why aren’t we treating them as such, and why do you have to reserve judgment?” Durbin asked.
Ms. Bondi responded that she does not agree with violence against anyone, especially police officers. January 6 resulted in the deaths of five of our law enforcement officers: Officer Brian Sicknick, Officer Howard Liebengood, Officer Jeffrey Smith, Officer Gunther Hashida, and Officer Kyle DeFreytag—and the injuries of approximately 140 other law enforcement officers.
“You weren’t able to answer my question affirmatively earlier, but I would hope that if this moves forward in a positive way on your nomination, you will speak up on behalf of these police officers who are keeping you safe today,” Durbin concluded.
Video of Durbin’s second round of questions in Committee is available here.
Audio of Durbin’s second round of questions in Committee is available here.
Footage of Durbin’s second round of questions in Committee is available here for TV Stations.
-30-