AG Bondi tells ABA it will no longer comply with ratings for judicial nominees

The Justice Department has officially informed the American Bar Association (ABA) that it will no longer participate in its judicial nominee ratings process. Attorney General Pam Bondi sent a letter to ABA President William R. Bay, stating that the current system is biased and tends to favor nominees from Democratic administrations.

The letter, obtained exclusively by Fox News, highlights the long-standing special treatment given to the ABA in the judicial nomination process. Bondi expressed concerns that the ABA often had advanced notice of nominees before they were publicly announced, and administrations would sometimes base their decisions on ABA ratings.

In a significant move, the Justice Department announced that it will no longer provide the ABA with special access to nominees or allow them to review non-public information. This includes ending the practice of nominees providing waivers for the ABA to access bar records and refusing to respond to ABA questionnaires or participate in interviews.

This decision by the Trump administration follows a letter from Republican senators on the Senate Judiciary Committee stating their intention to ignore the ABA’s rating system. The ABA, a prominent organization with over 400,000 members, has faced criticism from Republicans for what they see as left-wing advocacy and an emphasis on “woke initiatives” like diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.

Senator Mike Lee of Utah has been vocal in his criticism of the ABA, labeling it a “radical left-wing advocacy group.” Previous Republican administrations, such as George W. Bush and Donald Trump, have also distanced themselves from the ABA, ending the practice of giving them a first look at nominees.

As the situation continues to unfold, it is clear that tensions between the Justice Department and the ABA are high. The decision to break ties with the ABA reflects a larger trend of Republican administrations pushing back against perceived bias and political influence in the judicial nomination process.

Breanne Deppisch, a national politics reporter for Fox News Digital, covers this ongoing story with a focus on the Justice Department, FBI, and other national news. Stay tuned for further updates on this developing situation.