WASHINGTON — Attorney General Pam Bondi on Thursday informed the American Bar Association that she is cutting off its access to nonpublic information about President Donald Trump’s judicial nominees because she thinks the nonpartisan organization is an “activist group.”
“Unfortunately, the ABA no longer functions as a fair arbiter of nominees’ qualifications, and its ratings invariably and demonstrably favor nominees put forth by Democratic administrations,” Bondi said in a letter to ABA president William Bay.
“There is no justification for treating the ABA differently from such other activist organizations and the Department of Justice will not do so,” she said. “Specifically, the Office of Legal Policy will no longer direct nominees to provide waivers allowing the ABA access to non-public information, including bar records. Nominees will also not respond to questionnaires prepared by the ABA and will not sit for interviews with the ABA.”
An ABA spokesperson confirmed to HuffPost that the organization has seen the letter and has no comment for now, but the group will have one going forward.
Here’s a copy of Bondi’s letter:
