For decades, one unelected organization has held outsized sway over the federal judicial nomination process, quietly influencing who makes it to the bench and who doesn’t. While the public sees the televised hearings and floor votes, a lot happens behind the scenes, where access, influence, and partisan gamesmanship shape the outcome long before a nominee ever answers a question. But now, thanks to a bold move by Attorney General Pam Bondi, one major player just lost its exclusive backstage pass.
The American Bar Association's rating system, which categorizes nominees as "Well Qualified," "Qualified," or "Not Qualified," has long been a tool used to obstruct conservative judicial nominees while giving Democrats' picks an easy pass. And it's been doing this since the 101st Congress. But Bondi has finally put an end to the ABA's privileged access to information about judicial nominees, marking a significant victory for conservatives who have long criticized the organization's obvious liberal bias.
In a powerful letter to ABA President William Bay, Bondi laid bare the truth about the organization's special treatment. "For several decades, the American Bar Association has received special treatment and enjoyed special access to judicial nominees," she explained.
This preferential treatment even included advance notice of nominees before public announcements and the power to influence nomination decisions based on their ratings, but that is going to change.
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Bondi continued, “Unfortunately, the ABA no longer functions as a fair arbiter of nominees' qualifications, and its ratings invariably and demonstrably favor nominees put forth by Democratic administrations. The ABA's steadfast refusal to fix the bias in its ratings process, despite criticism from Congress, the Administration, and the academy, is disquieting.”
Of course, the ABA is still free to weigh in on judicial nominations, just like any other activist group. But the Trump administration has made its position clear: there’s no valid reason to give the ABA special treatment or elevated status in the process.
The American Bar Association has lost its way, and we do not believe it serves as a fair arbiter of judicial nominees.@TheJusticeDept will no longer give the ABA the access they’ve taken for granted. pic.twitter.com/ViqX9IRa7w
— Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) May 29, 2025
This is a game-changing decision. The Office of Legal Policy will no longer direct nominees to provide waivers allowing the ABA access to non-public information, including bar records. Nominees will also not respond to questionnaires prepared by the ABA and will not sit for interviews with the ABA.
This move by Bondi represents a crucial step in President Donald Trump's ongoing efforts to reshape the judiciary and ensure fair treatment of conservative nominees. By stripping the ABA of its privileged status and reducing it to just another activist organization, the Trump administration has removed one of the left's most powerful weapons in its fight against conservative judicial nominees.
The timing couldn't be better, as President Trump continues to implement his agenda during his second term. With the ABA's influence diminished, we can expect a more balanced and fair evaluation process for judicial nominees, regardless of their political leanings.
This is exactly the kind of decisive action we need from our attorney general. Bondi has proven once again that she's willing to take on the establishment and dismantle the left's institutional advantages.
Pam Bondi’s bold action is more than just a bureaucratic shift; it’s a long-overdue correction to decades of systemic bias masquerading as neutrality. For too long, the American Bar Association wielded outsized influence over our judicial nomination process, hiding behind a veneer of objectivity while stacking the deck against conservative nominees. That ends now. By tearing up the red carpet the ABA has enjoyed for generations, Bondi has dealt a serious blow to the left’s grip on our judicial system and leveled the playing field.
