Attorney General Pam Bondi's DOJ proposed a rule on March 4, 2026, that would allow her to freeze state bar investigations into DOJ lawyers accused of lying in court or other ethical violations — effectively shielding government attorneys from any accountability.
Under the proposed rule, Bondi could suspend state bar probes indefinitely while the DOJ conducts its own “independent review” with no deadline. This is particularly self-serving because ethics complaints have been filed against Bondi herself, Deputy AG Todd Blanche, and other senior DOJ officials including Ed Martin, Emile Bove, and Lindsey Halligan.
Critics say the rule violates the McDade Amendment, which specifically requires DOJ attorneys to follow state ethics rules. The Supreme Court has unanimously ruled that federal courts must not interfere with state bar proceedings.
The proposal was widely condemned. Above the Law headlined their coverage: “Pam Bondi Declares Herself God-Empress Of Ethics.” The rule would create a system where DOJ lawyers can lie in court with impunity because their boss controls whether they face any consequences.