Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi and Sen. Marco Rubio faced Senators in Washington, and DeSantis outlines immigration goals to lawmakers ahead of the Jan. 27 legislative session.

Bondi in her confirmation hearing says Trump was 'targeted' by Justice Department investigations

Pam Bondi, Donald Trump's pick for attorney general, insisted at her Senate confirmation hearing on Wednesday that the president-elect had been "targeted" by years of investigations and pledged she would not "politicize" the Department of Justice if confirmed as the country's chief federal law enforcement officer.

The statements echoed Trump's campaign trail rhetoric that the Justice Department had been weaponized against him and came as Democrats repeatedly pressed her to maintain the department's independence from the White House and to provide reassurances she would not use use the agency's law enforcement powers to exact retribution against the Republican's adversaries, including the investigators who investigated him.

"What would you do if your career DOJ prosecutors came to you with a case to prosecute, grounded in the facts and law, but the White House directs you to drop the case?" asked Sen. Chris Coons, a Delaware Democrat, in one in a series of similar exchanges.

"Senator," Bondi replied, "if I thought that would happen, I would not be sitting here today. That will not happen."

The line of questioning from Democrats laid bare what they see as the stake of Bondi's appointment, particularly given the pressure Trump wielded on his Justice Department during his first term to represent his personal interests. Republicans, by contrast, eagerly welcomed Bondi as a course correction to a Justice Department they believe has pursued an overly liberal agenda and unfairly pursued Trump through investigations and a special counsel appointment resulting in two indictments.

"If confirmed, I will work to restore confidence and integrity to the Department of Justice — and each of its components," Bondi said. "Under my watch, the partisan weaponization of the Department of Justice will end. America must have one tier of justice for all."

Bondi stressed she would uphold the Constitution and said the American public, not the president, would be her client.

But she also made clear her allegiance to Trump by repeatedly refusing to denounce some of his most incendiary stances, such as his claims that supporters arrested in the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the Capitol were "hostages" or "patriots."

Rubio vows to place U.S. interests 'above all else' as Trump's top diplomat

Florida Sen. Marco Rubio promised on Wednesday to implement President-elect Donald Trump's "America First" vision as secretary of state, vowing in his confirmation hearing that the incoming administration will forge a new path by placing American interests "above all else."

"Placing our core national interests above all else is not isolationism," Rubio told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. "It is the commonsense realization that a foreign policy centered on our national interest is not some outdated relic."

"The postwar global order is not just obsolete, it is now a weapon being used against us," Rubio said.

It's a remarkable opening salvo from Rubio, who was born in Miami to Cuban immigrants and who, if confirmed, would become the first Latino to serve as the nation's top diplomat.

The confirmation hearing begins a new chapter in the political career of the 53-year-old Florida Republican, whose relationship with Trump has evolved over the last decade. Once rivals trading schoolyard insults as they campaigned for president in 2016, the two men became close allies as Trump campaigned for another White House term last year.

Rubio first came to Washington as part of the "tea party" wave in 2010 and once advocated for allowing a path to citizenship for immigrants in the country illegally. But like other Republicans, Rubio's views on immigration have shifted toward the hard-line stance of Trump, who has pledged to aggressively pursue deportations once he takes office on Monday.

Unlike many of Trump's Cabinet selections, Rubio is expected to easily win confirmation, notching support not only from Republicans but also Democrats who endorse him as a "responsible" pick to represent the U.S. abroad. Many expect he will be among the first of Trump's Cabinet picks approved.

DeSantis unveils broad plan for immigration legislation in Florida

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis unveiled his list of proposals for legislation for the upcoming special session he requested.

It’s a sweeping list including things like:

• Requiring law enforcement to assist federal immigration enforcement
  
  
• Illegal entry penalties under state law
  
  
• Appointing a state immigration state officer
  
  
• Empower local authorities to detain and deport

And several more.

He wants to have the session right after President-elect Donald Trump gets into office to align Florida with Trump’s immigration policies.

“We know what’s coming down the pike after Jan. 20," DeSantis said. "We’ve been in discussion with the policy people for the trump transition. You are going to see some major changes in the federal government’s posture with respect to the border and immigration. These are things we’ve been asking for four years and it gives us an opportunity to complement those efforts."

However, it’s still unclear that a special session would even happen.

Florida Senate President Ben Albritton and House Speaker Daniel Pérez, both Republicans, are pushing back.

They say it’s premature to hold a special session ahead of any announcements Trump will make.