WASHINGTON, D.C. – At a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing today, U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, grilled Attorney General (AG) Pam Bondi for her evasive answers and lack of transparency in response to questions about bribery allegations concerning Trump Border Czar Tom Homan. 

Sen. Welch: “I do want to go back to [Tom] Homan. There’s a tape, right, with Mr. Homan? I mean, first of all: is there a tape that has audio and video of the transfer of the $50,000?”  

Bondi: “You would have to talk to Director Patel about that.” 

Sen. Welch: “No, I’m talking to you.” 

Bondi: “I don’t know the answer, Senator.”   

Sen. Welch: “You do know the answer to that.” 

Bondi: “Don’t call me liar!” 

Sen. Welch: “I didn’t call you a liar.” 

Bondi: “You just said I know the answer. I said I don’t know the answer. You have to talk to Director Patel. What I said is that investigation was closed.”   

Sen. Welch: “Let me put it another way. If you don’t know, why don’t you know whether there was a tape and video?” 

Bondi: “Senator, I believe that was resolved prior to my confirmation as Attorney General.”   

Sen. Welch: “Do you think it is of public interest for the people to know what happened to the $50,000 that the FBI turned over to Homan?” 

Bondi: “Did you hear what I just said? That was resolved prior to my confirmation as Attorney General. That’s why I said I would not go.” 

Sen. Welch: “It’s not resolved. There’s $50,000—Homan has it, or somebody has it. Do you have no interest in knowing where it is?”   

Bondi: “You’re not going to sit here and slander Tom Homan. The FBI and Deputy Director Blanche said there was nothing—”   

Sen. Welch: “I’m not slamming Tom Homan. He got the $50,000.” 

Watch the exchange between Senator Welch and Attorney General Pam Bondi: 

Ahead of today’s oversight hearing, Senator Welch called for answers on the weaponization of the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division. Senator Welch’s letter was sent to Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, who has led the Civil Rights Division since April 2025 and reports directly to Attorney General Bondi. 

Senator Welch strongly opposed and voted against Bondi’s appointment to serve as Attorney General of the United States. During a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in January, Senator Welch slammed AG Bondi’s evasion of questions about the 2020 presidential election and concerns about her willingness to stand up against the President to preserve an independent DOJ.

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