Former Republican Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi criticized Democratic Hawaii Sen. Maisie Hirono for refusing to meet her before her attorney general confirmation hearing.

Mr. Bondi, who was selected by President-elect Trump to head the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), took a turn after Mr. Hirono asked Mr. Bondi whether he would prosecute Mr. Trump’s political opponents.

“Congressman Hirono, I wish you could have met me. If you had met me, we would have talked about a lot of things and…you could have gotten to know me,” Bondi said. replied Hirono before cutting her off.

“I’m listening to you right now,” Hirono interjected. “Can you answer my question?”

“You’re the only one who refused to meet with me, Senator,” Bondi said, adding, “What we talked about was that it’s the attorney general’s job to follow the law.” .

Mr. Hirono interjected again, saying, “I am very happy to be able to hear your answers under oath.”

NEW: Pam Bondi slams Democratic Sen. Maisie Hirono to her face.

Hirono: Please, if President-elect Trump asked, suggested, or implied that you, as Attorney General, should investigate one of his perceived political opponents, would you do so?

Bondi:… pic.twitter.com/AOUCY822Ud

— Vigilant Fox 🦊 (@VigilantFox) January 15, 2025

The revelation that Mr. Hirono refused to meet with Mr. Bondi violates political norms. As part of the Senate’s “advice and consent” role, senators typically meet and hear from cabinet appointees prior to hearings. (Related: Maisie Hirono asks Pam Bondi if she’s ever made ‘unwanted’ sexual advances on someone)

Hirono tweeted about the importance of this process in 2018 when the Senate was debating the nomination of Justice Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court.

“The Senate’s advice and consent process for evaluating Supreme Court nominees is a job interview, not a criminal trial. There is no right to a seat on the Supreme Court. Brett Kavanaugh’s character, credibility, and candor matter. ,” she wrote.

The Senate’s advice and consent process for evaluating Supreme Court nominees is a job interview, not a criminal trial. There is no right to a seat on the Supreme Court. Brett Kavanaugh’s character, credibility, and candor are important. pic.twitter.com/UZ77LKmPHv

— Senator Mazie Hirono (@maziehirono) September 28, 2018

Mr. Hirono is one of nine Senate Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee that hosted Mr. Bondi’s hearing. Other Democratic senators on the committee who likely met with Bondy included harsh Trump critics such as Adam Schiff of California and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota.

Democratic Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman has previously criticized Democrats for their outrage over President Trump’s nominations. He told CNN’s Manu Raju that meeting with Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth and other candidates should not have been controversial. “I think this is an opportunity to have a conversation, but I don’t see why it’s so controversial for anyone,” he said.

Hirono criticized Republicans in 2018 for ignoring “all the rules and norms” during Kavanaugh’s confirmation process, even going so far as to walk away from the confirmation process along with then-Democratic California Sen. Kamala Harris.

“Our Committee and the Republican Party threw out all rules and norms to push Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. We will not participate in this fraud,” she wrote on Twitter.

This morning @SenKamalaHarris and I came out of the Judiciary Committee markup on Brett Kavanaugh. This committee and the Republican Party threw out all the rules and norms to push Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. We will not participate in this scam. pic.twitter.com/F1coQbXrwd

— Senator Mazie Hirono (@maziehirono) September 28, 2018