Grassley Questions Bondi at DOJ Oversight Hearing

Grassley Questions Bondi at DOJ Oversight Hearing

WASHINGTON - Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) questioned Department of Justice (DOJ) Attorney General Pam Bondi at today's DOJ oversight hearing.

Grassley urged Bondi to secure accountability for the Biden administration's weaponization of government, including addressing the targeting of eight Republican senators as part of its Arctic Frost investigation. Grassley also questioned Bondi about DOJ grants and improving the Public Safety Officers' Benefits program.

Bondi committed to following up with Grassley in writing on what actions the DOJ is taking to hold DOJ and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) personnel accountable for their misconduct as part of Arctic Frost.

Grassley also pressed Bondi on whether the DOJ and FBI have fully investigated, or plan to investigate, the allegations in a FD-1023 document regarding a Biden family bribery scheme, and revisions to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).

Video and a transcript of Grassley and Bondi's exchange follow.

VIDEO

Ending the Weaponization of DOJ, Addressing Arctic Frost:

GRASSLEY: We had this recent [Arctic Frost] revelation yesterday, of my Republican senators being targeted by the government … when taken in context with [the] widespread government weaponization against Trump and conservatives in the last decade, the [Arctic Frost investigation], arguably, is worse than Watergate.

Attorney General Bondi, how many DOJ and FBI personnel have been held accountable for their partisan and constitutionally questionable conduct? And what was their punishment?

…

Was Attorney General [Merrick] Garland, [former FBI] Director Wray or President Biden's White House aware of the FBI targeting Republican senators? Did they approve it? Let's be clear - either they knew and allowed it to happen, or they didn't know. If they didn't know, it points to lack of oversight of Jack Smith's runaway case.

BONDI: ...Operation Arctic Frost was an unconstitutional, undemocratic abuse of power. During Arctic Frost, the FBI also placed 92 linked Republican individuals and Republican groups, such as Charlie Kirk's Turning Point, on their list. This is the kind of conduct that shattered the American people's faith in our government, as I said in my opening statement. We are ending this weaponization. Our FBI is targeting violent criminals, child predators and other law breakers, not sitting senators who happen to be from the wrong political party.

DOJ Grant Cuts:

GRASSLEY: You inherited a bloated bureaucracy that requires reorientation to better serve the Department's mission. That includes reassessing grants disguised to help Americans, but many were partisan pet projects. It also requires reallocation of resources to better serve the American people.

What updates can you share with the committee about your review, and grants that DOJ has reassessed?

BONDI: During my appearance at the Department's budget hearings, I acknowledged that some grants were mistakenly terminated, and we have made a process to correct that. All grant termination appeals will be individually considered for alignment with our current policies, which are strengthening law enforcement and protecting victims.

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Of the 5,800 discretionary grants that were reviewed, only 376 - approximately seven percent - were terminated. So far, [the Office of Justice Programs] has turned back on 18 awards, 17 appeals have been denied, and the rest are actively being reviewed, with decisions expected soon.

DOJ Reallocation of Resources:

GRASSLEY: My colleagues on the other side claim that your department has reallocated resources to immigration enforcement, [which] has had a negative impact on law enforcement. We know that drugs and crime are very much a part of immigration enforcement, so these attacks are clearly off the mark. Explain your view of these misguided assertions.

BONDI: Every day our FBI, [Drug Enforcement Agency], [Department of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives] agents, and now, U.S. Marshals working on a task force with Homeland Security, are out there keeping Americans safe and getting illegal aliens out of our country, many of whom have committed violent crimes in this country.

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One example is right here in Washington, D.C. We have the D.C. task force that has been incredibly successful … We have been working hand in hand with the local officials here in D.C., and we are very proud of that work. We're taking that to Tennessee, and around this country to keep Americans safe.

Public Safety Officers' Benefits Program:

GRASSLEY: The Public Safety Officers' Benefits program (PSOB) provides benefits to law enforcement and first responders if they're disabled or killed in line of duty … My oversight and a Government Accountability Office report shows that some claims have taken thousands of days to conclude. PSOB applicants have also informed my office that they've been left in tears with the disrespectful ways they've been treated by the government.

…

What actions have been taken to hold DOJ officials accountable for their failures to manage the program and treat applicants with respect?

BONDI: ... This Department of Justice will treat everyone with respect, and we will do everything in our power to help citizens of this country. Please reach out to us with any individual cases, and I will personally look at them for you.

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