WATCH: Sen. Schiff Presses Attorney General Pam Bondi on Releasing Homan Investigation Tape, Condemns Stonewalling on Key Questions Regarding Weaponization of Justice Department

Schiff: "…Instead of preventing partisan weaponization, your department has engaged in a brazenly political prosecution at the president's explicit direction. The department has become President Trump's personal sword and shield to go after his ever-growing list of political enemies and to protect himself, his allies, and associates."

Washington, D.C. - Today, during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, U.S. Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) pressed Attorney General Pam Bondi on the Justice Department's partisan weaponization, highlighting the department's "brazenly political prosecution[s] at the president's explicit direction" and her refusal to answer key questions about scandals embroiling the department.

Schiff questioned Bondi on the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) closing the investigation into border czar Tom Homan for allegedly accepting $50,000 in bribe money from undercover FBI agents in exchange for favorable government contracts. Schiff also highlighted Bondi's unwillingness to answer Committee Member's questions on Tom Homan's bribe, Donald Trump's new luxury plane from Qatar, January 6th pardons, illegal boat strikes in the Caribbean, and on the department's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files.

Schiff closed by emphasizing the hundreds of former federal prosecutors who have been forced out of the department and are now speaking out about the administration's attacks on rule of law.

Watch the full clip HERE. Download the clip HERE.

Key Excerpts:

On Bondi continuously downplaying DOJ and FBI's investigation into Tom Homan accepting cash from undercover FBI agents:

Schiff: […] Two weeks ago, four major media outlets reported that Tom Homan, the president's top deportation official, working in the White House, took $50,000 in cash in a bag from undercover FBI agents in September 2024 - just over a year ago. According to these reports, Homan indicated he would facilitate securing contracts in exchange for money once he was in office in a future Trump administration. Reportedly, this exchange was caught on tape. Rather than pursue this investigation without fear or favor, the Department and the FBI under your leadership or that of your predecessor before you confirmed, quietly shut it down. Once news broke, your Deputy and FBI Director issued a joint public statement confirming that the Trump administration closed the investigation. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt denied Homan took the 50,000 telling a reporter, "Mr. Homan never took the $50,000 that you're referring to. So, you should get your facts straight." So, today, I hope you can help us get our facts straight. Was that true what the White House Press Secretary said when she denied Homan took the money. Did he take the money?

Bondi: Senator Schiff, as I stated earlier, I was not in office. I was not confirmed when that was handled.

Schiff: So does that mean -

Bondi: Deputy Attorney General Blanche and Director Patel said that there was no evidence that Tom Homan committed a crime. Yet now you're putting his picture up to slander him -

Schiff: No, I'm putting his picture up -

Bondi: - as much as you can.

Schiff: - showing an interview he gave with, I think, Fox, in which he was asked explicitly about these allegations that he took a $50,000 bribe and he refused to answer. He didn't answer the question whether he took the money. So, I'm asking you the question, did he take the money?

Bondi: Senator Schiff, I answered that question multiple times. And frankly -

Schiff: Well, I don't think, with respect, I don't think you did. But in case I just didn't hear you, what is the answer? Did he take the money?

Bondi: Senator Schiff, that happened prior to my confirmation -

Schiff: No I understand that. But do you -

Bondi: - as Attorney General.

Schiff: Do you know sitting here whether he took the money?

Bondi: All I know is that Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche and FBI Director Patel said there was no case. And Karoline Leavitt is one of the most trustworthy human beings I know.

On Bondi refusing to answer questions during the oversight hearing:

Schiff: […] It's valuable that the American people get a sense of what you've refused to answer today. So, these are just some of the questions you refused to answer or have answered with personal attacks on Members of this Committee. You were asked whether you consulted with career ethics lawyers, as you promised you would do during your nomination hearing when you approved the president receiving a $400 million gift from the Qataris. You refused to answer that question. You were asked who or what role you may have played, or who played the role in asking that Trump's name be flagged in any of the Epstein documents gathered by the FBI. You refused to answer that question. You were asked whether Homan kept the $50,000 bribe money. You refused to answer that question. You were asked whether Homan paid taxes on the $50,000 bribe money. You refused to answer that question. You were asked, did career prosecutors find insufficient evidence to charge James Comey? You refused to answer that question. You were asked, how are military strikes on these boats in the Caribbean legal? And you refused to even answer that question. […] You were asked, did you discuss indicting James Comey with the president? You refused to answer that question. You were asked, did you approve the firing of antitrust lawyers who disagreed with the Hewlett Packard merger. You refused to answer that question. You were asked whether you support a restoration fund for violent insurrections who attacked the Capitol on January 6. You refused to answer that question. You were asked whether you were firing career professionals, career prosecutors, just because they worked on January 6 investigations. You refused to answer that question. You were asked by my California colleague whether you believe government officials, like immigration officials, have to abide by court orders. You wouldn't even answer that question. This is supposed to be an oversight hearing.

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