Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the top Democrat on the committee, began his opening statement with a nod to his home state, arguing that oversight hearings like this one “have never been more important as President Trump turns the full force of the federal government on Chicago and other American cities.”
“The assault on the city I am proud to represent is just one example of how President Trump and Attorney General Bondi shut down justice at the Department of Justice even before the party, controlling the White House, Senate and House of Representatives, shut down the government,” Durbin said.
Durbin also argued that Bondi has “systemically weaponized” the Justice Department “to protect President Trump and his allies and attack his opponents and sadly, the American people,” pointing to firings of career officials. He claimed that with “ethical guardrails out of the way, corruption has run rampant at the Department of Justice.”
The Illinois Democrat said “our nation’s top law enforcement agency has become a shield for the President and his allies when they engage in misconduct.” He pointed to allegations that Mr. Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, accepted “a $50,000 bag of cash in exchange for promising immigration enforcement-related contracts.” He also pointed to Mr. Trump’s pardoning of Jan. 6 rioters, the handling of the Epstein probe, the dismissal of corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams and the indictment of Comey, among other things.
“What has taken place since Jan. 20, 2025, would make even President Nixon recoil,” Durbin said.
Durbin accused Bondi of transforming the Justice Department and leaving “an enormous stain in American history.”
“It will take decades to recover,” he said.