Pam Bondi Would Oversee Enforcement Of Federal Civil Rights Law. Her Record Is Unreliable And Inconsistent

WATCH: Pam Bondi Equates LGBTQ+ Identity to “Bringing a Heroin Needle to School”

Pam Bondi’s record on protecting civil rights is inconsistent and unreliable. Americans deserve an Attorney General that will enforce federal civil rights law, including the Civil Rights Act, the Voting Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Fair Housing Act, the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Hate Crimes Prevention Act, and many others.

The Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department became a shell of its former self during the first Trump Administration, investigating 60 percent fewer cases than the Obama Administration and 50 percent fewer than the Bush Administration, and significantly restricting the use of consent decrees.

Beyond her track record of election denialism, Pam Bondi has made inconsistent statements that call into question her commitment to defending the rights of all Americans, including:

• Reproductive rights: Pam Bondi has falsely claimed that a majority of women have abortions under pressure and has been critical of protections to accessing contraception.
• LGBTQ+ rights: Despite suggesting she’s an ally to the LGBTQ+ community, Pam Bondi has equated same-sex couples’ adoption to “significant public harm,” pledged to defend the Florida gay adoption ban, praised the “Don’t Say Gay” law, compared LGBTQ+ identity to “bringing a heroin needle to school,” and has opposed same-sex marriage.

U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement:

“All Americans deserve an Attorney General who will unequivocally defend their civil rights and liberties. Pam Bondi must commit to doing so and clear up her record of inconsistency and unreliability on fundamental civil rights.”

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