Pam Bondi Reminds Adam Schiff of His Humiliating Past as Confirmation Hearing Gets Heated: 'You Were Censured by Congress'

Attorney General nominee Pam Bondi engaged in a tense exchange with Sen. Adam Schiff of California during her Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing on Wednesday, ultimately reminding him of his censure by the House of Representatives.

Schiff began by questioning Bondi’s ability to maintain independence from soon-to-be President Donald Trump when necessary.

“Let me start with one very specific non-hypothetical. The president has said Jack Smith should go to jail. Will you investigate Jack Smith?” he asked.

Merrick Garland, President Joe Biden’s Attorney General, had appointed Smith as a special counsel in November 2022 to investigate Trump shortly after he announced his bid for re-election. In 2023, Smith filed two cases against Trump: one alleging mishandling of classified documents and another accusing interference in the 2020 election. Both cases were dropped after Trump’s re-election, and Smith resigned as special counsel last week.

Responding to Schiff, Bondi said, “Senator, I haven’t seen the file. I haven’t seen the investigation. I haven’t looked at anything. It would be irresponsible of me to make a commitment regarding anything without looking … at a file.”

Schiff pressed further, asking if she believed there was a factual basis to investigate Smith based on what she already knew.

“Senator, what I’m hearing on the news is horrible. Do I know if he committed a crime? That I have not looked at,” Bondi replied.

The discussion shifted to Trump’s plans to issue pardons on his first day in office for many individuals prosecuted for their roles in the January 6, 2021, Capitol protests.

In a recent interview with NBC News host Kristen Welker, Trump said, “I’m going to look at everything. We’ll look at individual cases. But I’m going to be acting very quickly.”

When asked how soon, he added, “First day, I’m looking first day. These people have been there — how long is it? Three, four years. They’ve been in there for years. And they’re in a filthy, disgusting place that shouldn’t even be allowed to be open.” Trump noted there might be exceptions, saying, “I have to look, if somebody was radical, crazy.”

Reuters reported that over 1,580 individuals have been prosecuted for offenses related to January 6, with about 170 charged with using weapons or injuring police officers. While no guns were fired by protesters, some were found on Capitol grounds or nearby, according to CBS News.

Addressing Schiff’s concerns, Bondi stated, “I will look at every case, on a case-by-case basis, and I abhor violence to police officers.”

Schiff challenged her ability to review hundreds of cases on day one, to which Bondi replied, “I will look at every file that I am asked to look at.” Schiff interrupted, “Of course you won’t.”

Bondi pushed back, noting she would have staff to assist her and said, “You said, ‘Of course you won’t.’ Listen, I’m not going to mislead this body, nor you. You were censured by Congress for comments just like this, that are so reckless.”

In July 2023, the GOP-controlled House voted to censure Schiff for claiming he had evidence of Trump’s 2016 campaign colluding with Russia. At the time, Schiff was the ranking member on the House Intelligence Committee, a role granting him access to classified information. The resolution cited additional reasons for his censure, tied to his position of trust.

Schiff concluded his questioning by urging Bondi to commit to preserving evidence from the House’s January 6 investigation during her tenure as attorney general.

In December 2022, the committee — established by then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi and on which Schiff served — handed its findings to the DOJ before Republicans took control of the House the following month.

“Senator, I will follow the law,” Bondi replied.

“Why do you have difficulty answering that question?” Schiff asked.

“I can’t believe you’re asking such a question,” Bondi countered.