The committee hearing on Tuesday in the Senate's powerful judiciary committee takes place days before Comey is to face a judge in the federal lawsuit that, among other things, concerns that he allegedly lied to Congress.
Democrats accuse the Trump administration of exerting political pressure on authorities to prosecute political opponents.
What has happened since January 20, 2025 (when President Donald Trump took office) would even make President Richard Nixon recoil, said Senator Dick Turbin, referring to Nixon's resignation in connection with the Watergate scandal.
In just eight short months, you have completely changed the Department of Justice and left a huge stain on American history, Turbin continued in a heated exchange with Bondi.
Responded with attacks
Bondi, in turn, launched a harsh attack on the Democrats and the US's previous government:
They politicized the judiciary's exercise of power and they will be remembered as those who betrayed the public's trust.
Republicans on the committee defended Bondi as Attorney General. But Democrats continued, one by one, to accuse Bondi of driving politically motivated police investigations, of being behind mass layoffs within the Department of Justice, and of creating a work climate where leading prosecutors have resigned.
After nearly five hours of questioning, the hearing was concluded. By then, questions had also been raised about the investigation into the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, as well as the White House's decision to send National Guard troops to states, including Illinois.
"Trump's sword and shield"
Toward the end of the hearing, Democrat Adam Schiff got the floor. He was the lead in putting Donald Trump on trial after the attacks on Congress on January 6, 2021. Trump has responded by urging Bondi to prosecute Schiff.
Schiff told Bondi that the Attorney General had now become Trump's "sword and shield" in attacks on the opposition.
This is the first time Bondi has been called to a committee hearing in the judiciary committee since she was questioned when she was nominated for the post of Attorney General in January. Bondi then said that she did not intend to use the Department of Justice for political purposes.
