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U.S. Senate confirms Florida’s Pam Bondi as U.S. attorney general • Florida Phoenix

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floridaphoenix.com – Ashley Murray – 2025-02-04 19:15:00

U.S. Senate confirms Florida’s Pam Bondi as U.S. attorney general

by Ashley Murray, Florida Phoenix
February 4, 2025

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate Tuesday night confirmed Florida prosecutor Pam Bondi as the attorney general of the United States under President Donald Trump.

Senators voted 54-46 to install the former Florida attorney general at the top of the U.S. Justice Department, an agency Trump has in his crosshairs after federal prosecutions targeted his actions following his loss in the 2020 presidential election.

Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania voted in favor of Bondi’s confirmation.

Bondi easily gained the support of the Republican-led Senate Committee on the Judiciary, which put her on a glide path to confirmation. The panel split along party lines Wednesday to advance her to a full floor vote.

Grassley support

“I’m disappointed that none of my Democratic colleagues on the Judiciary Committee voted for Ms. Bondi, and I hope the full Senate takes a different approach,” Committee Chair Chuck Grassley of Iowa said on the floor Monday.

“If my colleagues won’t cross the aisle for this qualified nominee, they’ll show that they’re intent on opposing President Trump’s picks for purely partisan reasons,” Grassley said.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Tuesday that Americans have “lost faith” in the Justice Department.

“Pam Bondi has promised to get the department back to its core mission: prosecuting crime and protecting Americans from threats to their safety and their freedoms,” the South Dakota Republican said Tuesday afternoon on the floor, accusing the department of political bias under former President Joe Biden.

‘Real concern’ from Whitehouse

Democrats spoke out against Bondi ahead of the confirmation vote, highlighting Bondi’s indirect response to Democratic committee members’ questions over who won the 2020 election.

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, a Rhode Island Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, said Tuesday that Bondi’s responses during her confirmation hearing were cause for “real concern.”

“She said a lot of the right things about independence of the department and rule of law. What I couldn’t get over was how things changed when she got to a topic that would have been sensitive to Donald Trump, something that would have gotten Donald Trump all twitchy,” Whitehouse said on the floor.

“She couldn’t say obvious things, things like,’ Did President Biden win the 2020 election?’ That’s an easy answer, ‘Yes, he did, sir or ma’am.’ Super simple. When she can’t say that, that’s a sign,” Whitehouse continued.

The former president faced charges for scheming to overturn the 2020 election results and for hoarding classified documents in his Florida estate. The Justice Department dropped the cases after Trump won the election, citing a long-term policy of not prosecuting sitting presidents.

Trump’s interim U.S. attorney in Florida’s Southern District last week dropped the classified documents case against Trump’s two co-defendants.

Trump has fired a round of Justice Department officials who were involved in prosecuting him as well as those involved in prosecutions of those charged after the violent attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

On his first night in office, Trump granted clemency to all of the nearly 1,600 defendants charged in the attack.

Last updated 9:03 p.m., Feb. 4, 2025

Florida Phoenix is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Florida Phoenix maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Michael Moline for questions: info@floridaphoenix.com.

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Rudy Giuliani leaves the hospital after being injured in a car crash in New Hampshire

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www.news4jax.com – Carolyn Thompson, Associated Press – 2025-09-02 10:32:00

SUMMARY: Rudy Giuliani, 81, was released from the hospital after a car accident in New Hampshire where the vehicle he was in was struck from behind on Interstate 93. Giuliani sustained a fractured thoracic vertebra, multiple lacerations, contusions, and injuries to his left arm and leg. He and the driver, spokesman Ted Goodman, were helping a woman who reported a domestic violence incident when the crash occurred. Both suffered non-life-threatening injuries. The crash’s cause is under investigation, with no charges filed. Giuliani, known as “America’s mayor” for his 9/11 leadership, later served as Trump’s personal attorney, involved in controversial election fraud claims.

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Polls to open in Florida Senate, House special elections. How to find out if you should be voting

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www.clickorlando.com – Christie Zizo, Emily McLeod – 2025-09-02 04:00:00

SUMMARY: Election Day in west Orange County, Florida, on Tuesday features special elections to fill two Florida Legislature vacancies in Senate District 15 and House District 40. Senate District 15 includes northwest Orange County areas like Winter Garden and College Park. The seat was vacated by the late Sen. Geraldine Thompson. Democratic State Rep. Bracy Davis faces Republican Willie J. Montague for the Senate seat. In House District 40, RaShon Young, Davis’ former chief of staff, won the Democratic primary and will compete against Republican Tuan Le and write-in Chris Hall in the Sept. 2 general election. Polls open 7 a.m.–7 p.m.; vote-by-mail ballots are due by 7 p.m.

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Here’s what we know about COVID shots in Florida

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www.tampabay28.com – Katie LaGrone – 2025-09-01 14:54:00

SUMMARY: In Florida, confusion grows over COVID-19 vaccine access. Jen, a Tampa resident with an underlying condition, struggles to find vaccination sites despite consistent annual shots. Pharmacies like CVS now require prescriptions for vaccines in 16 states, including Florida, while Walgreens limits availability. The FDA approved the 2025/26 vaccine mainly for those 65+, requiring high-risk younger individuals to have prescriptions. Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo opposes the vaccine, calling it unsafe. This hesitancy contrasts federal messages supporting choice, as CDC advisory meetings may soon clarify guidelines amid politicized debates. Many Floridians remain uncertain about vaccine availability and eligibility.

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