Donald Trump's nominee for Attorney General Pam Bondi has held ties to the Church of Scientology at various points throughout her career.
Bondi made history in 2010 when she was elected as Florida's first female attorney general, a job she held until 2019.
During her tenure she accepted campaign contributions from Scientologists and attended multiple fundraisers organized by prominent members of the church.
A fundraiser for Bondi's reelection campaign in 2014 in Clearwater, Florida, was organized by six prominent Scientologists, the Tampa Bay Times reported at the time. Christina Johnson, Bondi's campaign spokeswoman, told the newspaper that Bondi was aware that Scientologists were staging the event.
Johnson said that Bondi first connected with Scientologists in 2010 when she and other elected officials toured some of the church's facilities in Clearwater. She added that Bondi had spoken to a group of Scientologists about human trafficking and antidrug initiatives.
Ahead of the fundraiser in 2014, Johnson said: "It's like-minded folks sharing the same goals: Protecting children against drug overdoses and human trafficking."
Bondi's office also cited the importance of speaking about the same issues before she addressed a group with ties to Scientology in 2016.
"Considering the seriousness of this issue, the Attorney General is open to talking to any organization about what our office is doing to combat this awful crime and educate them on what they can do to help," Bondi's spokeswoman Kylie Mason told the Tampa Bay Times.
Newsweek has contacted Bondi for comment outside of normal working hours.
A Trump spokesperson and The Church of Scientology have also been contacted for comment.
Trump announced Bondi as his pick for Attorney General on Thursday, hours after his first choice, Matt Gaetz, withdrew from consideration.
"For too long, the partisan Department of Justice has been weaponized against me and other Republicans - Not anymore. Pam will refocus the DOJ to its intended purpose of fighting Crime, and Making America Safe Again," Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.
"I have known Pam for many years—She is smart and tough, and is an AMERICA FIRST Fighter, who will do a terrific job as Attorney General!"
Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham predicted in a social media post that Bondi "will be confirmed quickly," calling her selection a "grand slam, touchdown, hole in one, ace, hat trick, slam dunk, Olympic gold medal pick."
Bondi has been an outspoken defender of Trump. She was one of his lawyers during his first impeachment trial, when he was accused—but not convicted—of abusing his power as he tried to condition U.S. military assistance to Ukraine on Kyiv investigating Joe Biden.
She was also among a group of Republicans who showed up to support Trump at his New York hush money criminal trial that ended in May with a conviction on 34 felony counts.
In one recent radio appearance, she called Special Counsel Jack Smith and other prosecutors who have charged Trump "horrible" people, and accused them of "weaponizing our legal system."
Separately, she was accused by a Massachusetts attorney of bribery over a $25,000 campaign contribution she received from Trump in 2013. Bondi asked for the donation around the time her office was being asked about a New York investigation of alleged fraud at Trump University. In 2017, it was decided the complaint lacked enough evidence to move forward.
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