Democratic senator says he is currently a no on Bondi: ‘I am trying to be fair’

Democratic Senator Chris Coons (Del.) said after Wednesday’s hearing on President-elect Trump’s attorney general pick Pam Bondi he will currently vote no, but he wants “to be fair.”

Coons joined CNN’s “The Source” Wednesday, where he was asked about the questions posed to Bondi earlier in the day. He said Bondi answered his first two questions sufficiently, but the third response made him question her candidacy.

“It was the third question, where I said, ‘What would you do if ordered to do something illegal or unethical?’” Coons said. “She said, ‘That’s a hypothetical I won’t answer it.’”

Coons said he had to tell Bondi that it’s not hypothetical because Trump may ask her to do that.

CNN’s Kaitlan Collins asked the senator if Bondi’s response to that question meant he wouldn’t vote in favor of her confirmation.

“I’m a no right now, but … I’m going to go back and review the transcript,” he replied. “I am trying to be fair, and I’m trying to give her a reasonable shot at earning my vote, but I was not satisfied by the end of today’s hearing.”

Bondi was grilled by Senators on Wednesday as she faced the test to become Trump’s attorney general. She was the second choice, a more traditional pick, after former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) withdrew his name from consideration amid a scathing report.

There’s concern among Democrats that whoever Trump chose to lead the Justice Department, they would turn the agency into a branch to retaliate against the president-elect’s enemies.

Democrats used their time Wednesday to question Bondi over what they see as the biggest issue: whether she will push back on Trump’s requests to target his political foes.

Bondi slammed the multiple investigations into Trump as evidence that the Justice Department has been weaponized for political gain, though Democrats vow that was never the case.

Coons said on CNN that it is a “key guardrail” that the Department of Justice and the FBI remain independent. He said the way Bondi did not explicitly answer his third question raises concerns. 

“For me, that’s a critical question, will she stand up if the situation calls on it and prove the independence of the Department of Justice is more important than loyalty to a candidate she strongly supported?” Coons said.