New Attorney General Pam Bondi Initiates Review of Trump and January 6 Cases

One of U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi’s initial actions in office was to instruct officials on February 5 to review the prosecution of President Donald Trump and the actions taken against individuals allegedly involved in the January 6, 2021, incursion of the U.S. Capitol.

In her memo, Bondi stated that the group’s review will focus on actions taken during the previous administration that seemed aimed at achieving “political objectives or other improper aims rather than seeking justice or fulfilling legitimate governmental objectives.”

The group’s scope will include examining how state and local officials collaborated with Smith’s team, “unethical investigative techniques and improper prosecutions” connected to the January 6 cases, the prosecution of individuals involved in protests near abortion clinics, and retaliation against whistleblowers.

Bondi cited Trump, who, in a January 20 executive order, mentioned that the “prior administration and allies across the nation engaged in an unprecedented, third-world weaponization of prosecutorial power to disrupt the democratic process.”

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An executive order stated that it is U.S. policy to identify and rectify past misconduct by the federal government concerning the misuse of law enforcement and intelligence, directing the attorney general to evaluate the activities of all departments with civil or criminal enforcement authority, including the DOJ, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Federal Trade Commission.

Smith’s team charged Trump in two cases: one for allegedly mishandling classified documents after leaving office in 2021 and another for allegedly interfering with the certification of electoral votes on January 20, 2021.

Trump has pleaded not guilty in both matters.

During Bondi’s swearing-in ceremony, Trump remarked that she would “restore fair, equal, and impartial justice, and … uphold the constitutional rule of law in America.”

He further noted: “I recognize I should say she’ll be completely impartial towards Democrats, and I feel she will be as impartial as anyone can be. I’m not sure if complete impartiality is feasible, but she will be as close to it as possible.”

Bondi, who previously served as Florida’s attorney general, reassured Trump, “I will make you proud, and I will also make this country proud. I will restore integrity to the Justice Department and combat violent crime across this nation and globally, making America safe again.”

This week, the Senate confirmed Bondi with a 54-46 vote, with Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) aligning with Republicans in support of the nominee.

In her new memo, Bondi indicated that the weaponization group would be a measure “to restore public integrity and credibility in the protection we provide and to ensure that the Department’s personnel are prepared to faithfully execute the policy agenda of the duly elected President of the United States.”

She assured that employees who “acted with righteous spirit and just intentions” have nothing to fear.

A similar reassurance was offered to FBI staff earlier on Wednesday, who are currently undergoing a review of the January 6 cases.

The DOJ has requested information from the FBI concerning thousands of bureau personnel involved in the investigations, and the FBI has provided their employee identifiers and other relevant details.

Bove added that the only employees who should worry “are those who acted with corrupt or partisan motivations.”