Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) not too long ago criticized President-elect Trump’s decide of former Florida legal professional common Pam Bondi to steer the Justice Division, calling her a “massive election denier” and “Trump apologist.”
“Pam Bondi was the attorney general of the state of Florida for eight years, and so she does have the requisite experience. But she comes with the heaviness of having been a massive election denier,” Wasserman Schultz advised CNN’s Jake Tapper in a Friday interview on “The Lead.”
“This is someone who is clearly a Trump apologist, a Trump lackey,” she added later. “That’s what he wants as AG.”
Her feedback come a day after former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), whom Trump tapped first for the place, withdrew from consideration amid scrutiny — and a battle over whether or not a Home Ethics Committee report must be unveiled to the general public — associated to his alleged sexual misconduct and illicit drug use.
Regardless of the critique, Schultz recommended Bondi was a better option for legal professional common than Gaetz.
“But, you know, she did some good things for consumer protection, did some pretty good lawsuits that brought resources back for people who’d been wronged in the state of Florida,” she mentioned, including, “So, you know, we’ll see how the Senate looks at it, but it’s a heck of a lot better than Matt Gaetz.”
Gaetz mentioned Friday that whereas he gained reelection earlier this month, he did not intend to return to Congress. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) arrange a particular election for the vacant seat to be held on Jan. 28, 2025.
Republicans gained management of each chambers of Congress and the White Home for the following time period. Requested if Gaetz’ resignation helps Democrats, Wasserman Schultz recommended they nonetheless have some leverage.
“Democrats for the last two years with the Republican majority, they couldn’t do anything significant without Democratic votes,” she advised Tapper. “And no matter what the margin is, that’s going to be the case likely coming into this election — this next Congress.”
“We have quite a bit of leverage. That’s why I keep saying this was not a Republican red wave,” she continued. “Trump won by one of the smallest margins, and Democrats are going to have a lot of say when it comes to what legislation gets across the finish line.”
