Complaint documents repeated ethical violations, political weaponization of the Department of Justice, and other conduct that warrants disciplinary investigation.

WASHINGTON, D.C.—A comprehensive ethics complaint filed today against former Attorney General Pamela Bondi reveals her longstanding pattern of misconduct, threatening the rule of law and administration of justice. According to the complaint filed by Peggy A. Quince, retired Chief Justice of the Florida Supreme Court, and joined by Democracy Defenders Fund, Lawyers Defending American Democracy, Lawyers for the Rule of Law and over 100 scholars and retired judges, Bondi’s actions violated the Florida Rules of Professional Conduct and fostered an environment of lawlessness inside the Department of Justice.

The complaint, submitted to The Florida Bar, documents the myriad ways that Bondi violated professional responsibility standards through her conduct and decision-making as attorney general.

As attorney general, Bondi committed the following violations, as described in the complaint:

• Under her leadership, Bondi created an environment in which DOJ lawyers were induced to engage in acts they were ethically prohibited from doing, under threat of suspension or termination—or were fired for not doing so.

• Bondi, and her subordinates, repeatedly denied the constitutional rights of Americans by seeking to bring charges against defendants without probable cause.

• Bondi also violated her statutory obligations under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, misleading the public and releasing sensitive victim information.

• Bondi permitted and incentivized violations of court orders in dozens of cases.

LDAD Board member Peggy Quince and the former Chief Justice of the Florida Supreme Court stated, "As the former Chief Justice of this state's highest court, there are key principles that we must protect. First, whatever legal position you have achieved, you are still bound to follow the Rules of Professional Conduct. All lawyers are alike in that regard, and no one lawyer is above the law. Second, The Florida Bar and the Florida Supreme Court have a duty to ensure that lawyers adhere to all applicable rules. That should be the baseline minimum for this profession."

“The attorney general has the awesome responsibility to set a national example of ethical behavior—and to ensure that DOJ lawyers live up to that standard,” noted LDAD volunteer and a principal author of the complaint, James W. Conrad, Jr. “From her first day as attorney general, Bondi did just the opposite, personally and repeatedly violating ethical standards and coercing Department lawyers into violating their own professional responsibilities if they wanted to keep their jobs.”

“It’s past time for those in control of the behavior of attorneys to step up to their responsibilities and take the reins,” said Daniel N. Arshack, President at Lawyers for Rule of Law. “Silence is complicity.”

“Bondi repeatedly ignored her ethical obligations,” said Virginia Canter, chief counsel and director of anti-corruption and ethics at Democracy Defenders Fund. “She was responsible for releasing sensitive information about Epstein victims, shielding documents in the Epstein files from the American public, violating court orders and charging citizens for crimes without probable cause. This warrants an investigation and action—lawyers have been disbarred for less.”

Signatories of the complaint are calling for an investigation and action to be taken by The Florida Bar.

Read the full brief here.

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Democracy Defenders Fund brings together a nonpartisan team to work with national, state and local allies across the country to defend in real-time the foundations of our democracy.

Lawyers Defending American Democracy is a coalition of lawyers united in the defense of our democracy and committed to galvanizing the legal profession – and the public – to protect the rule of law.

Lawyers For the Rule of Law has over 300 pro-bono lawyers who volunteer to protect our democracy by preparing law suits, amicus briefs and ethics complaints against government lawyers who violate their oaths. We represent individuals who are wrongfully targeted by this administration and file habeas petitions for those wrongfully detained.