President Trump’s choice to lead the Justice Department, Pam Bondi, breezed through her confirmation hearing on Wednesday, though one Democrat felt compelled to ask the nominee if she is a rapist. 

Ms. Bondi, 59, said in her opening statement that she hopes to move the department away from the politicization that has infected it during the administration of President Biden. 

“If confirmed as United States Attorney General, my overriding objective would be to return the Department of Justice to its core mission of keeping Americans safe and vigorously enforcing the law,” she said. “That requires getting back to basics — prosecuting violent crime and gang activity, stopping child predators and drug traffickers, protecting our nation from terrorists and other foreign threats, and addressing the overwhelming crisis at the border.”

“Most importantly, if confirmed, I will work to restore confidence and integrity to the Department of Justice — and each of its components. Under my watch, the partisan weaponization of the Department of Justice will end. America must have one tier of justice for all,” Ms. Bondi told senators.

Chairman Chuck Grassley told Ms. Bondi the DOJ is “infected with political decision-making” and badly needs change. “The impact of this political infection in our once-storied law enforcement institutions is catastrophic. By every metric, the Biden-Harris Justice Department conduct has failed to live up to our country’s ideals,” he said.

For their part, Democrats continued their effort to malign nominees, with one senator asking an inappropriate question in a once-staid process. “Since you first became a legal adult, have you ever made an unwanted request for sexual favors or committed any verbal or physical harassment or assault of a sexual nature?” Senator Hirono of Hawaii asked. 

“No, senator,” Ms. Bondi answered.

The committee’s ranking Democrat, Senator Durbin of Illinois, was more serious, asserting that the attorney general must maintain her independence from the president. 

“I need to know that you would tell the president no if you’re asked to do something that is wrong, illegal or unconstitutional,” Mr. Durbin told Ms. Bondi in his opening statement. “Especially [since] you are one of four Trump personal lawyers that he has already selected for top positions in the Department of Justice.”

Ms. Bondi is Trump’s second pick for the position after Congressman Matt Gaetz pulled his nomination. She has long been in Team Trump: She served on the president’s legal team during his first impeachment and has worked as a lobbyist for Ballard Partners, run by Brian Ballard, a close associate and fund-raiser for Trump. Ms. Bondi served as Florida’s attorney general from 2011 to 2019, the first woman ever elected to the post.