WASHINGTON, DC — Ahead of Attorney General Pam Bondi’s testimony before the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, the Not Above the Law coalition’s co-chairs – Lisa Gilbert, Co-President of Public Citizen; Praveen Fernandes, Vice President of the Constitutional Accountability Center; Kelsey Herbert, Campaign Director at MoveOn; and Brett Edkins, Managing Director for Policy and Political Affairs at Stand Up America – released the following statement:
“During her confirmation hearing, Pam Bondi solemnly promised to protect the independence of the Department of Justice, avoid politicization, increase transparency on the Epstein files, and serve as the people’s lawyer.
“Attorney General Bondi has broken every one of those promises. She has presided over a two-tier system of justice, weaponizing federal power against President Trump’s critics and vulnerable populations while protecting Trump allies. – Under her leadership, the DOJ has politicized prosecutions, stonewalled on the Epstein files, shielded federal agents from accountability, and attacked voting rights.
“As Attorney General Bondi testifies this Wednesday, members of Congress must demand answers and accountability. It’s time for Bondi to answer for her broken promises and the damage she has done to the rule of law.”
The evidence is clear and documented. Below is an accounting of how Attorney General Bondi’s record reveals a pattern of systematic dismantling of DOJ independence in service of political retaliation and the protection of power.
BONDI PROMISED TO AVOID POLITICIZATION
WHAT BONDI PROMISED: Bondi pledged to avoid politicization, declaring “the partisanship, the weaponization will be gone” and promising that “no one will be prosecuted because of their political views.”
WHAT BONDI DELIVERED: The DOJ has repeatedly targeted Trump’s political adversaries – including 19 instances of retaliatory investigations, arrests, or prosecutions during Bondi’s tenure.
BONDI PROMISED TRANSPARENCY ON EPSTEIN FILES
WHAT BONDI PROMISED: Bondi pledged to follow through on “lifting the veil on the disgusting actions of Jeffrey Epstein” and promised to “abide by all relevant and applicable recordkeeping laws.”
WHAT BONDI DELIVERED: Despite federal law requiring release by December 19, 2025, the DOJ released only a fraction of documents over a month later—prompting members of Congress to threaten Bondi with contempt.
BONDI CLAIMED TO SUPPORT ACCOUNTABILITY
WHAT BONDI PROMISED: Bondi pledged accountability for law enforcement misconduct, stating: “Prosecutors will be prosecuted, if bad. Investigators will be investigated…None of us are above the law.”
WHAT BONDI DELIVERED: In two high-profile Minnesota cases, the DOJ protected federal agents involved in killings. In the Renee Good case, the DOJ refused to open a civil rights investigation into the ICE agent who killed a Minnesota resident. In the Alex Pretti case, the DOJ initially refused an FBI-led civil rights investigation, allowing DHS to investigate itself and raising concerns about evidence destruction.
BONDI PROMISED TO PROTECT VOTING RIGHTS
WHAT BONDI PROMISED: Bondi pledged to enforce voting rights “in a fair and impartial manner” and promised not to “interfere with the lawful tabulation and certification of election results.”
WHAT BONDI DELIVERED: The DOJ has pressured states to turn over voters’ private registration data as part of “coordinated efforts to re-litigate President Donald Trump’s false claims” about the 2020 election.
BONDI CLAIMED CIVIL RIGHTS WOULD REMAIN KEY PART OF DOJ MISSION
WHAT BONDI PROMISED: Bondi affirmed that civil rights enforcement was “a critical mission of the Justice Department” and pledged it would remain “a key part of the Department of Justice’s mission to uphold the rule of law.”
WHAT BONDI DELIVERED: The Civil Rights Division has been decimated. Dozens of former Division attorneys signed an open letter decrying its “near destruction,” pointing to Bondi’s dismissal of voting rights and sexual abuse lawsuits. By August 2025, roughly 75% of career civil rights lawyers had left the Division.