What About Pam Bondi on Gun Rights?

 Cam Edwards at Bearing Arms has a first take on Pam Bondi as the pick for Trump's Attorney General entitled Where Does Pam Bondi Stand on Gun Control?. The first thing that should be said is that literally anybody would be a better AG than Merrick Garland. Even a David Hogg would be better because at least your average person would be able to see through him. But, with that said, Bondi, as the former Florida AG has a mixed record on guns. Unlike Matt Gaitz, she is not a no compromise gun rights supporter.

Donald Trump's second choice for Attorney General is likely to find a warmer reception in the Senate than Matt Gaetz did, but she could face some hostility from Second Amendment organizations over some of her previous positions on guns and gun control.

Pam Bondi served as Florida's attorney general for eight years, and was in office when the legislature crafted its response to the 2018 shootings at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland.

"In a time of crisis, it's about finding common ground, and that's what Gov. Scott has done," Bondi told Fox Business host Stuart Varney in March of that year, as the Florida legislature was in the midst of passing legislation that, among other things, raised the age to purchase a firearm from 18 to 21 and established a "red flag" law in the state.

During that same interview, Bondi praised Trump's response to the Parkland shootings and expressed her hope that he could be a "mediator" with federal lawmakers.

"Hopefully Congress will follow Florida's lead and what Gov. Scott has been doing here in Florida and all of us working so well together," she told Varney as the interview concluded.

Edwards' conclusion, as I said, is mixed:

Bondi is not an out-and-proud gun grabber, but she does come with some gun control baggage that's likely to come up during her meet-and-greets with senators as well as her confirmation hearings. Would she, for instance, wholeheartedly defend the federal prohibition on handgun sales for adults younger than 21? Does she continue to believe that Congress should implement a federal gun violence restraining order like the one adopted in Florida six years ago? Would she side with the plaintiffs challenging semi-auto bans in Maryland, Illinois, New Jersey, California, and a handful of other states? And where does Bondi come down on the issue of restoring Second Amendment rights to those convicted of non-violent felony offenses?

Gentle readers are asked to read the whole article, and consider letting their gun rights organizations how they feel. As I have noted, I view a federal involvement in gun rights somewhat askance. The less said by the fed, the better.