Bondi hearing live updates: Bondi suggests Jack Smith's conduct is 'horrible'

Without asking Bondi a direct question, Republican Sen. Thom Tillis attacked Democrats for asking Bondi whether she would support pardons for violent Jan. 6 rioters -- even after Bondi declined to answer directly earlier in the hearing whether such a move would be acceptable to her.

"I find it hard to believe that the president of the United States, or you, would look at facts that were used to convict the violent people on January the sixth," he said.

Despite Tillis' statement, Trump has made clear his plans to pardon a large number of Jan. 6 defendants once he takes office, and his transition has repeatedly declined to give clarity on the scope of those pardons.

The hearing paused for a 30-minute lunch break.

Democratic Sen. Mazie Hirono brought up Bondi's past statements saying she would go after the "bad ones" in the Justice Department, asking her if she would prosecute former special counsel Jack Smith or former GOP Rep. Liz Cheney.

Trump has called for both of them to be investigated and jailed for their probes.

Bondi said she would not answer hypothetical questions and claimed that "no one has been prejudged" and that no one will be prejudged.

For the third time during Wednesday's hearing, Bondi dodged when asked who won the 2020 presidential election.

"We want an attorney general who bases decisions on facts," Democratic Sen. Mazie Hirono said. "So, I want to ask you a factual question. Who won the 2020 presidential election?"

"Joe Biden is the president of the United States," Bondi replied.

Hirono accused Bondi of refusing to directly answer the question of who won.

"I can say that Donald Trump won the 2024 election. I may not like it, but I can say it," Hirono said. "You cannot say who won the 2020 presidential election. It's disturbing that you can't."