Pam Bondi clashes with Dick Durbin over troop deployment: ‘Love Chicago as much as you hate Trump’

WASHINGTON, DC: A tense Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on October 7 featured sharp exchanges between Attorney General Pam Bondi and Illinois Senator Dick Durbin over the Trump administration’s decision to deploy National Guard troops to Chicago and the handling of Epstein files.

Durbin pressed Bondi to explain the legal justification for sending troops into his state, accusing the Justice Department of withholding critical information from the public.

Pam Bondi deflects questions on Epstein records

“What’s the secret? Why do you want to keep this secret?” Durbin asked.

“The American people don’t know the rationale behind the deployment of National Guard troops in my state.”

Bondi shot back, “I wish you loved Chicago as much as you hate President Trump,” adding, “If you’re not going to protect your citizens, President Trump will.”

Durbin responded that his inquiry was “a simple question” on legal grounds, calling Bondi’s remarks a “personal attack.” Bondi later said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel were also heading to Chicago.   

The hearing grew even more heated when Durbin questioned Bondi about the Justice Department’s handling of records tied to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.

Bondi countered by accusing Durbin of blocking the release of Epstein’s flight logs and claimed he had accepted campaign donations from a friend of Epstein.

“I find it very interesting that you refused repeated Republican requests to release the Epstein flight logs in 2023 and 2024,” Bondi said. “Why did you fight to not disclose the flight logs, Senator Durbin?”

Durbin denied refusing any such release, saying he had merely requested a formal written submission from a Republican senator who raised the issue.

When asked about her earlier claim that an Epstein “client list” was “sitting on my desk,” Bondi clarified that she had not reviewed the material at the time and insisted, “Our memo on Epstein clearly points out that there was no client list.”

Pam Bondi evades Senate questions on Trump, James Comey conversations

Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal pressed Bondi about possible conversations with President Donald Trump regarding the indictment of former FBI Director James Comey.

“I am not going to discuss any conversations I have or have not had with the president of the United States,” Bondi replied. “I’ll keep fighting to ensure that law enforcement and the judicial process move forward without political interference.”

Blumenthal then displayed a photo showing Bondi dining with Trump at the White House shortly before Comey’s indictment, asking whether the topic had been discussed. Bondi declined to answer, saying she “won’t discuss any conversation” she had with the president.

The indictment came just days after Trump posted a message on Truth Social questioning the Justice Department’s actions regarding Comey and other critics. 

Pam Bondi clashes with Richard Blumenthal 

The attorney general engaged in a heated exchange with Senator Richard Blumenthal after he accused President Donald Trump of “weaponizing” the Justice Department — one of several tense moments during the hearing.

“I’m going to yell over you. I’m not going to get in the gutter with you,” Bondi snapped as Blumenthal pressed her on the issue.

Blumenthal then questioned Bondi about the Justice Department’s settlement of an antitrust case involving Hewlett-Packard and AI firm Juniper Networks, citing internal criticism from the department’s antitrust division.

Bondi praised the head of the antitrust unit before turning on Blumenthal, saying, “I cannot believe that you would accuse me of impropriety when you lied about your military service,” referencing the senator’s past misstatements about serving in Vietnam.

“How dare you?” she added. “I’m a career prosecutor. Don’t you ever challenge my integrity. I have abided by every ethical standard.”

When Blumenthal repeatedly interrupted, Bondi shot back, “If I could finish answering the question. No, I’m answering the question. If you won’t let me answer, then don’t ask.”