The Justice Department has announced it will limit the American Bar Association’s (ABA) ability to evaluate candidates for federal judicial positions, impacting its ability to vet President Donald Trump’s nominees.
In a letter dated Thursday, May 29, Attorney General Pam Bondi informed ABA President William Bay that the association’s access to confidential information regarding Trump’s nominees would be restricted. Bondi described the non-partisan organization as an “activist” group.
Bondi stated, “Unfortunately, the ABA no longer acts as an impartial judge of nominees’ qualifications, and its ratings consistently favor those nominated by Democratic administrations,” accusing the ABA of “bias” in its evaluation process. “There is no reason to treat the ABA differently from other activist organizations, and the Department of Justice will not do so.”
Bondi added that judicial nominees would no longer be required to provide waivers granting the ABA access to private information, complete questionnaires, or participate in interviews with the association.
In a subsequent social media post, Bondi reinforced her position, stating, “The American Bar Association has strayed from its purpose, and we no longer believe it fairly assesses judicial nominees. The Justice Department will no longer grant the ABA the access it has come to expect.”
This action against the ABA follows Trump’s announcement of six new judicial nominees the previous day, including top Justice Department official Emil Bove, who is nominated to serve as a Judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Bove, according to Trump, “will end the weaponization of Justice, restore the rule of law, and do anything else that is necessary to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN.”
Bove defended Trump during his hush-money trial,
Trump also nominated , , , and to serve as Judges on the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida, and to serve as a Judge on the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida.
The President previously threatened to withdraw the ABA’s status as the federally recognized accreditor of law schools in an . As part of his broader crackdown on , Trump stated that the ABA has required law schools to demonstrate a commitment to diversity and inclusion, which he considers a “discriminatory requirement” and believes “similar unlawful mandates must be permanently eradicated.”
Critics have recently voiced concerns about the current practices within the Department of Justice.
“I think what’s happening in the Department of Justice right now is that it’s being transformed into Donald Trump’s personal law firm,” , the DOJ’s former pardon attorney. “The Attorney General has made it clear that directions are coming from the very top, from the President, and she is there to do his bidding.”
What is the American Bar Association and what does it do?
Founded in 1878, the is committed to “setting the legal and ethical foundation for the American nation,” according to its website.
Its primary focuses are advocating for the legal profession, eliminating bias and promoting diversity, and advancing the rule of law.
The typically oversees and conducts the judicial nominee vetting process, a role it has held since 1953. According to the ABA, the committee “makes a unique contribution to the vetting process by conducting a thorough peer assessment of each nominee’s professional competence, integrity, and judicial temperament.”
The organization maintains that these assessments are non-partisan, providing the Senate and the current administration with “confidential assessments of the nominee’s professional qualifications.”
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