Image: U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath, D-Marietta, had a pointed exchange during a hearing in Washington on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. (AP, screenshot)
McBath v. Bondi
Attorney General Pam Bondi battled with congressional Democrats on Wednesday, offering aggressive rebuttals during hours of tense testimony. But there was one line of questioning that appeared to disarm her.
U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath, D-Marietta, shares a unique connection with Bondi, who was the attorney general of Florida when McBath’s son was fatally shot in 2012. McBath said the man convicted in that case referred to her son as a “thug” and “gang banger” in trying to justify his actions.
“The attorneys from your office actually defended my son’s name, his memory, and defended his honor,” McBath said.
Bondi said she agreed that government officials should be respectful and supportive of victims’ families.
So why then, McBath wanted to know, did Trump administration officials refer to Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse killed by a federal agent in Minnesota, as an “assassin”? Why did they call Renee Good, a wife and mother who was also killed by federal agents in Minnesota, a “domestic terrorist”?
“Will you protect their names like those attorneys back in Florida under your watch protected my son’s name?” McBath asked.