AG Pam Bondi faces an awkward question about her approval of the Qatari jet 'gift'

[LetMyPeopleVote]

When it comes to the attorney general and the luxury jet from Qatar, Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin is asking all the right questions.

When it comes to Attorney General Pam Bondi and luxury jet from Qatar, I give Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin credit for asking the right questions.

I just wish he were likely to get answers.

— Steve Benen (@stevebenen.com) 2025-05-15T14:42:53.583Z

When it comes to Attorney General Pam Bondi and luxury jet from Qatar, I give Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin credit for asking the right questions.

I just wish he were likely to get answers.

Link to tweet

https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/trump-qatar-jet-pam-bondi-conflict-rcna206997

This was dubious guidance in its own right, but there was a related problem hanging overhead: Bondi used to work as a registered lobbyist for foreign clients, including the government of Qatar — the same government that’s apparently prepared to reward Trump with a jet.

Now, a key Senate Democratic leader is asking all the right questions. NBC News reported:

Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, sent a new letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi asking how she came to a conclusion that the Qatari gift of a $400 million jet to Trump would be ‘legally permissible’ and pressing her to provide the committee with information about whether the Justice Department determined there were no potential conflicts of interest. In the letter, provided first to NBC News, Durbin asks Bondi if she recused herself from decision-making related to the matter because Bondi previously worked as a lobbyist for Qatar.

“There are serious questions about whether you should have recused yourself from this matter,” Durbin wrote in the letter, noting that Bondi “did not list the State of Qatar as a conflict of interest on your Senate Judiciary Questionnaire, despite serving as a lobbyist for this foreign government prior to your confirmation as Attorney General.”

The Illinois Democrat, who’s retiring next year, asked Bondi to provide the Senate Judiciary Committee with:

the memo the attorney general prepared that concluded that the acceptance of the Qatari gift would be “legally permissible”;

and “the names and titles of the Department ethics officials with whom you consulted on your potential conflict of interest in this matter and any records or materials related to this consultation.”

Durbin asked that Bondi comply with his request by May 28.

For those interested in accountability and legal ethics, the good news is that Durbin is pressing the attorney general on an important point, and the facts appear to be on the senator’s side. The bad news is that Durbin’s correspondence is a request, not a subpoena, and given that the Illinois Democrat is in the minority, he has no way to compel Bondi to cooperate with this line of inquiry.

[Skittles]

1. "Because I was hired to be a Trump bootlicker"

THAT would be the honest response.

[mdbl]

2. And because I value my own wealth over the security of the United States

2nd answer

[Skittles]

3. well, that is true of ALL repukes

that's a requirement to serve in the greedy old pig party

[mdbl]

4. Did she take an oath?

[Skittles]

5. repukes do not care about OATHS

they don't give a FUCK about America or WE THE PEOPLE

THEY SERVE THEIR MASTERS

[mdbl]

6. or themselves.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

9. Bondi's only job is pleasing trump

[Warpy]

7. She doesn't care, she thinks she is untouchable

Short term, she probably is.

[Bluetus]

8. That's a fine letter. Mighty fine. Very sternly worded.

Another good day's work.