Attorney General Pam Bondi is set to initiate a review of cases involving President Donald Trump, including those prosecuted by the New York legal team that secured victories against him. Bondi, who was sworn in at the White House, plans to issue memos addressing concerns about the perceived misuse of the Justice Department.
The review will encompass both criminal and civil cases against Trump, including those pursued by the Biden administration. Bondi aims to discourage Justice Department employees from letting personal beliefs influence their work, warning that such actions would face consequences.
Outlined in the memos, Bondi will establish a “Weaponization Working Group” to scrutinize legal actions taken during the previous administration. This review will include high-profile cases such as those involving classified documents, election interference, hush-money payments, and civil fraud judgments.
Additionally, Bondi will remind career Justice Department officials to uphold the administration’s positions in court and not bring personal political biases into their work. Those who disregard this directive may face disciplinary measures or termination.
Bondi’s appointment comes amid controversy over dismissals of personnel involved in Trump-related cases and the Capitol riot investigations. Trump, present at her swearing-in, expressed confidence in Bondi’s ability to lead the Department of Justice impartially and effectively combat crime.
While Trump has disputed the legitimacy of certain cases, the judiciary has consistently upheld the legal proceedings. Despite concerns among FBI agents, there are reportedly no plans for widespread dismissals. Following a request by Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove, the FBI provided information on employees involved in the January 6 investigations.
In a recent memo titled “Terminations,” the source defended the efforts to gather more information about officials involved in cases related to January 6. This was part of an initiative to comply with a directive from former President Trump, which called for a review of the Justice Department’s actions over the past four years to prevent the “weaponization of government.”
Concerns were raised about the lack of clarity in communication regarding personnel matters. The incoming official, Bondi, will face close scrutiny in her initial actions as she assumes office. Despite her assurance to lawmakers during the confirmation hearing to safeguard the department from political influence, there are expectations that she will align the Justice Department with the former president’s agenda.
Bondi emphasized the importance of prosecuting cases based on facts and laws without political interference. She expressed her commitment to removing politics from the system, citing the need to end the department’s long history of being weaponized.
Among her planned actions, Bondi intends to revoke memos issued by the Biden administration, including one from the FBI that seemingly targeted a specific group of Catholics. She also aims to reverse a memo addressing threats to schools and establish a task force to address a specific event involving Hamas in Israel.
Many of Bondi’s directives reflect the aggressive law enforcement and prosecutorial approach advocated by the former President Trump, such as prioritizing death penalty cases and targeting drug cartels. Additionally, she plans to implement guidelines concerning federal funding for sanctuary cities and evaluate agreements with NGOs supporting migrants in the country illegally.
The interim leadership of the Justice Department has already directed the FBI to provide information on all current and past employees involved in January 6 investigations. Furthermore, an investigation was launched into prosecutors who faced challenges due to a Supreme Court decision regarding obstruction charges against rioters.
Bondi’s confirmation by the Senate was mostly split along party lines, with Democratic Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania joining Republicans in supporting her appointment.
While the second Trump administration aimed for more legally resilient executive orders and policies, challenges have emerged, particularly regarding the transition within the Department of Justice. Bondi is poised to navigate these complexities as she assumes her new role.
The Department of Justice is facing an immediate challenge to defend new policies enacted by the Trump administration in court. The DOJ has already encountered setbacks, with two federal judges issuing orders temporarily blocking the administration’s plans to freeze all federal aid. Additionally, a third judge halted Trump’s executive order ending birthright citizenship, deeming it “blatantly unconstitutional.”
Shortly after the start of the Trump administration, approximately 20 high-level career prosecutors within the department were removed from their long-held positions, as reported by CNN. This action occurred well before Bondi’s confirmation, reportedly to shield her from criticism, according to sources familiar with the situation cited by CNN.
Some of the displaced prosecutors were reassigned to a newly established task force responsible for overseeing Trump’s immigration crackdown initiative, a revelation conveyed in a memo to all department personnel by Bove. The memo warned of potential investigations or prosecutions targeting state and local officials, as well as federal prosecutors, who resist participating in Trump’s federal immigration enforcement efforts.
Furthermore, the department terminated officials who had collaborated with Smith’s team and directed eight senior FBI leaders to either retire, resign, or face dismissal. Interim department leaders initiated a series of memos informing staff about forthcoming operational changes.
One such memo suspended agreements requiring police department reforms following Justice Department findings of misconduct patterns. Another directive instructed civil rights attorneys to refrain from initiating any new legal actions until further notice. A third memo advised prosecutors to curtail prosecutions under the FACE Act, legislation that prohibits threats of force, obstruction, and property damage aimed at impeding reproductive health care services. Prosecutors were also instructed to discontinue ongoing cases charged under this act.
The department has dismissed various criminal cases, including one against a doctor accused of unauthorized access to medical records revealing gender-affirming care for transgender minors at a Texas hospital. Moreover, civil suits filed by the Biden administration, such as a challenge to Virginia’s pre-election voter purge using data indicating potential non-citizen voters, were also dropped.
Samantha Waldenberg of CNN contributed to this report, which has been updated with Bondi’s order regarding investigations related to Trump. To access more CNN news and newsletters, you can sign up at CNN.com.
