Florida AG Pam Bondi To Be Rewarded With Trump White House Position

Donald Trump with Florida AG Pam Bondi

As it turns out, not only did Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi get $25,000 for her reelection coffers from Donald Trump for refusing to investigate Trump University on her state's behalf, her support will garner another reward: an appointment to a plum role in the new Trump administration.

From the Tampa Bay Times:

Immediately after Donald Trump was elected president, one Florida name was floated above the rest for a job in his administration: Attorney General Pam Bondi.

About two weeks out from Trump's inauguration, the Tampa Republican still has not been appointed to any job.

But an announcement could be coming soon, reports Bloomberg's Jennifer Jacobs.

In a tweet, she wrote, "NEW: Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi will be named to a post in the Trump White House, sources tell me. Trump aides finalizing her role."

Asked Thursday, the Trump transition provided no new information about whether Bondi was even still in consideration for an administration job.

"We have no additional announcements at this time," said Sean Spicer, who will be Trump's White House press secretary, on a conference call with reporters. "I don't want to get ahead of any announcements that may or may not come."

Bondi has been mum, too. Asked Thursday morning, she would not comment on whether she was being considered for a new job in the administration.

"I'd never discuss anything confidential," she said, echoing previous statements.

You just gotta love that swamp.

NEW: Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi will be named to a post in the Trump White House, sources tell me. Trump aides finalizing her role.

— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) January 5, 2017

Campaign Ad Highlights Trump's "Donation" To Florida Attorney General Bondi

The Clinton campaign released this new campaign ad just hours after the New York State Attorney General's announcement that he will be investigating the Trump Foundation for possible illegal or corrupt practices.

From Politico:

“You’ve probably heard Trump talk about the Clinton Foundation, but you might not have heard that while he attacks one of America’s top charities, his foundation has been fined for an illegal donation,” a narrator intones, as graphics showing the Clinton Foundation’s top ratings from Charity Watch, GuideStar and Charity Navigator are displayed on screen.

“She cashed the check, blocked the case, and he tried to cover up the donation,” the ad alleges, before concluding with a picture of a hard hat-wearing Trump grinning in front of workers. “So, when you hear Donald Trump talk about corrupt politics, remember which candidate actually practices it.”

You'll recall that in 2013, Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi's office announced it was looking into joining a class action suit against Trump University. At the same time, Bondi asked Donald Trump for a campaign donation.

Three days later, Trump's $25,000 check arrived in Florida. Within days Bondi announced she would not be following up on the Trump U. action.

Put another way, imagine you were robbed. Before the robber is charged he makes a campaign donation to the police chief, and the next thing you know charges are not filed and he's set free.

Smell right to you?

Calls for Independent Federal Investigation Into Pam Bondi "Pay For Play" Scam Intensify

Donald Trump with Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi

The editorial board of the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel published an op-ed today calling for an independent federal investigation into Donald Trump's $25,000 donation to Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi's reelection fund.

Trump loves to call his presidential opponent "Crooked Hillary" although she has never been charged or found guilty of anything. But in this tawdry campaign donation escapade, it clearly looks like Trump is the one guilty of "pay for play."

The timing is certainly curious, with the contribution arriving just three days after Bondi's office said it was considering whether to join a class-action lawsuit against Trump University, an education company that promised to turn students into successful real estate investors, but left many empty-handed. Bondi's office decided not to join the suit.

The donation from the candidate's foundation also violated tax rules governing nonprofit organizations. As a result, the GOP presidential nominee recently paid the IRS a pocket-change fine of $2,500.

Maybe there is nothing untoward here. Maybe it's nothing more than coincidence, as Bondi and the Trump campaign maintain.

[snip]

It's hard to tell who looks worse in this, Bondi or Trump.

It was learned this week that in 2014, after Bondi decided not to investigate Trump U, the billionaire hosted a $3,000-a-person fundraiser for her at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach.

So, to recap: Trump University investigation comes up, three days later $25,000 appears from Trump, the next day Bondi decides not to prosecute, and then Trump throws a $3K a person fund-raiser for Bondi at his resort.

Nope. Doesn't sound fishy to me. How about you?

For a more entertaining look at the story, check The Late Show's Stephen Colbert looking into the debacle.

Possible Bribery Charges For Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi Over Donald Trump Donation

Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi

A Massachusetts lawyer has requested federal prosecutors look into bribery charges against Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi and GOP White House hopeful Donald Trump.

The issue at hand goes back to 2013 when Bondi was reviewing complaints against Trump University, now at the center of several fraud lawsuits.

Just days after her campaign sought, and received, a $25,000 donation to her political action committee from Donald Trump, Bondi decided against investigating the complaints.

From the Orlando Sentinel:

The Orlando Sentinel reported on Sept. 13, 2013 that Bondi’s office was looking into the Trump complaints. Campaign finance records show Bondi’s political committee, And Justice for All, received the $25,000 donation from Trump on Sept. 17, 2013.

“Evidence strongly indicates that Bondi’s decision not to initiate or participate in litigation against Trump University was given in exchange for Trump’s contribution based on the short time period between the receipt of the political contribution and the announcement of Bondi’s decision not to participate in the New York litigation,” Larrabee’s complaint states.

The Associated Press reported earlier this month that Bondi’s political consultant Marc Reichelderfer said she personally solicited the donation from Trump. Larrabee filed state ethics and elections complaints against Bondi over the Trump donation after the report was published.

Those complaints are still being reviewed, but Bondi called the allegations untrue. A spokeswoman for Bondi did not respond to an email seeking comment Wednesday.

Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi Still Whining About Questions On Her LGBT History

After years of fighting against LGBT rights in the state of Florida, Attorney General Pam Bondi is still whining that she was asked about her sudden change of tone towards the LGBT community in the wake of the Orlando nightclub shooting (and hundreds of TV cameras broadcasting nationwide).

On Tuesday, CNN's Anderson Cooper asked her about the turn of heart, wondering if it isn't somewhat hypocritical to now claim to be an LGBT ally after fighting against marriage equality for years.

Wednesday, Bondi went on a friend's radio show to complain about the encounter, and then yesterday, she went running to Fox News for a sympathetic ear.

Ironically, she gets on Fox News saying she still wanted to talk about scams going on involving the Orlando shooting but pivoted immediately into a "woe is me" moment. Along the way she shrugged saying the CNN interview "is what it is" but clearly came on Fox News merely to whine.

Grow up and own your positions, Ms. Bondi.

Anderson Cooper Slaps Back At Pam Bondi's Complaints Of "Edited" Interview

After Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi called into a friend's radio to complain about being "ambushed" in a CNN interview with Anderson Cooper, Anderson Cooper took to the airwaves to set the record straight.

I love that Anderson presents the pre-interview notes on the air.

Truth be told, it doesn't take an Anderson Cooper to make Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi look bad. She's been doing that all on her own for a long time.

For years Bondi worked fervently to keep equal rights, like marriage equality, from "the gays." So, when she spends her time on national TV these past few days (in an effort to bolster her political career) pretending she's some great ally of the LGBT community, this is exactly what happens.

Here's how Anderson responded to Bondi's claims that her interview was unfair, and that it was "edited."

“She’s either mistaken or she’s not telling the truth,” the CNN host said on his show, Anderson Cooper 360. “Let’s be real here. Ms. Bondi’s big complaint seems to be that I asked in the wake of a massacre of gay and lesbian citizens about her new statements about the gay community and about her old ones.”

“For the record, my interview was not filled with any anger. I was respectful before the interview, I was respectful during the interview and I was respectful after the interview. I don’t know Pam Bondi personally, she seems like a nice person actually. I don’t think she has hate in her heart. But what I think doesn’t matter, its my job to hold people accountable. If on Sunday a politician was talking love and embracing quote ‘our LGBT community’ I don’t think it’s unfair to look at their record and see if they have actually ever spoken that way publicly before which I never heard her say.

"The fact is, Attorney General Bondi signed off on a 2014 federal court brief that claimed married gay people would pose ‘significant public harm’. Harm. She spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxpayer money. Gay and straight taxpayers money, trying to keep gays and lesbians from getting the right to marry. Now look, good people can and do disagree on that issue. everyone has a right to their own opinion thank goodness. But Ms. Bondi is championing right now her efforts to help survivors but the very right which allows gay spouses to bury their dead loved ones – that’s a right that would not exist if Ms Bondi had had her way. I think it’s fair to ask her about that. There is an irony in that."

And for the record, here is the entire interview segment that began this whole debate:

Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi Says CNN Interview Was "Unfair"

Yesterday, I posted the absolutely EPIC take-down by CNN's Anderson Cooper of Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi over her past rocky relationship with her state's LGBT community.

To recap,  Bondi has spent years - and hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars - fighting against LGBT rights. But in the wake of the Orlando nightclub shooting that left 49 dead and 53 hospitalized, she has suddenly (in front of national news cameras) become our "fervent" ally.

Sarcasm intended.

So, during an interview yesterday, Anderson Cooper shared with the AG that many of her LGBT constituents don't think she supports them, and in fact, opposes them.

It was terrific, and long overdue.

Today, during an interview with NY's WOR 710 radio, she complained that she was treated "unfairly."

Via Politico:

Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi said her interview Tuesday with CNN’s Anderson Cooper was unfairly edited after it was posted online and served only to “encourage anger and hate.”

In an interview with New York’s WOR 710 radio Wednesday morning, Bondi said her understanding was that her interview with Cooper would focus on donation scams surrounding the mass shooting at an Orlando nightclub early Sunday morning. Instead, after one question about scams targeting people seeking to help victims, the CNN anchor grilled the Florida attorney general on her history of opposing marriage equality and other LGBT issues.

Bondi said it was inappropriate for Cooper to press her on her relationship with the LGBT community, especially in front of a hospital where shooting victims were continuing to recover.

“There’s a time and place for everything,” she said. “But yesterday wasn’t the time nor the place in front of a hospital when we could have been helping victims.”

As a reminder, I posted the ENTIRE segment yesterday. Here it is again, in all it's glory.

Anderson Cooper To Florida AG Pam Bondi: "Do You Really Think You're A Champion Of The Gay Community?"

In an interview with CNN's Anderson Cooper, Florida's Attorney General Pam Bondi found herself explaining how she suddenly became an ally of the LGBT community in the wake of the deadly Orlando shooting when she's spent years fighting to deny LGBTs rights.

“Do you really think you’re a champion of the gay community? You used language accusing gay people of seeking to do harm to the people of Florida. You argued that in court.

"The hotline that you’ve been talking about on television, which allows family members and spouses of the dead to get information had there been no gay marriage, you do realize that there would be no spouses.

"Isn’t there a sick irony in that? Isn’t there a sick irony that you, for years, were fighting that very idea?”

“Is it hypocritical to portray yourself as a champion of the gay community when - I’m just reflecting what gay people told me - they don’t see you as this?”

“It’s just that, I will say I have never really seen you talk about gays and lesbians and transgender people in a positive way until now.”

Anderson does NOT let go. Good for him. We've all wanted to ask her these questions.

Bondi's statements in support of LGBTs of late can only be described as political opportunism at best.

Bondi spent nearly $500,000 of taxpayer dollars fighting marriage equality in her state.

Bondi was in recent headlines when it came to light that she dropped a pending lawsuit against Trump University just days after a $25K donation to her reelection fund from Donald Trump.

News Round-Up: June 4, 2016

Summer? Winter? Who cares?  (via Instagram)

Some news stories you may have missed:

• A Canadian history first: a rainbow flag celebrating Pride Month was raised at Parliament Hill, and Justin Trudeau is the first prime minister to do it.

• A "sex professor" at Men's Health has found that 10% of men and women experience "coregasms" when working their abs and core muscles.

• Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi's opposition to marriage equality ends up costing her state $500,000.

• Fox News' Megyn Kelly calls Donald Trump's attacks on his Trump University judge's Mexican heritage "out of line."

• Speaking of the Trumpster, he now says Hillary Clinton "has to go to jail" after her epic speech on his lack of foreign policy bona fides yesterday. #WrongAgain

• Things got violent outside Donald Trump's San Jose rally in California as protesters and supporters clashed.

Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi Endorses Donald Trump

Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi has (not surprisingly) endorsed GOP front-runner Donald Trump a day before the state's presidential primary.

I'm certain it has absolutely nothing to do with Trump's $25,000 donation to her re-election campaign.

From The Intercept:

Trump just won a key endorsement going into Tuesday’s Florida primary: the state’s attorney general, Pam Bondi.

But her bigger favor to Trump may have been her decision in 2013 not to pursue an investigation of Trump’s for-profit education chain after he made a big donation to her re-election campaign.

As Scott Maxwell of the Orlando Sentinel reported at the time, Bondi announced in September 2013 that her office was reviewing a series of complaints related to the Trump Institute of Boca Raton, a for-profit education company that is no longer in operation.

Three days after the report that Bondi was considering joining other states’ attorneys general in taking action against Trump’s for-profit education chain, the real estate mogul dumped $25,000 into a committee organized for Bondi’s re-election. Bondi ended up taking no action.

As my fellow blogger JoeMyGod points out, Trump is always quick to point out how he successfully "donates" to politicians because he's such a good businessman. I guess when a loan is called in, you pay up.

Regular readers will recall that Bondi continually opposed same-sex marriage in her state all the way down to the very bitter end. Even when it was clear which way the courts were ruling, she was like a dog with a bone. Clearly, she assumed she was winning conservative points for fighting down the line.

Tampa Bay Times Names Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi "Political Loser Of 2014"

Adam C. Smith, political editor for the Tampa Bay Times has named Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi the Political Loser of 2014:

Loser of 2014: Pam Bondi. It's hard to imagine how someone who won re-election so handily (rival George Sheldon could not afford a single TV ad) could emerge from 2014 more wounded and diminished as our Republican attorney general. Put aside the unseemly junkets funded by groups seeking to influence her. Bondi's clumsy communication skills and relentless defense of Florida's gay marriage ban have made her a modern-day Anita Bryant. Antagonizing Florida's gay voters over same-sex marriage and Hispanic voters over immigration reform ensures Bondi has a bright political future ahead of her — if she moves to Mississippi.

Well deserved honor, I'd say.

Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi Admits Defeat On Same-Sex Marriage

Via press release, virulently anti-gay Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi issued this statement on the US Supreme Court's denial of request to keep same-sex marriage from beginning in Florida January 6th:

"Tonight, the United States Supreme Court denied the State’s request for a stay in the case before the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals. Regardless of the ruling it has always been our goal to have uniformity throughout Florida until the final resolution of the numerous challenges to the voter-approved constitutional amendment on marriage. Nonetheless, the Supreme Court has now spoken, and the stay will end on Jan. 5."

Bite me, Pam Bondi. You lost.

You stood against equal rights for all, and you lost.

SCOTUS Denies Florida Request For Extension Of Same-Sex Marriage Ruling Stay

Florida's Republican Attorney General Pam Bondi has spent months fighting rulings in favor of overturning her state's ban on same-sex marriage.

In fact, she recently asked the US Supreme Court to extend the current stay on one of those rulings as the case awaits it's turn at the 11th Circuit Court.

Color me shocked, but that request was just denied.

Although Justice Clarence Thomas (who oversees such requests for the 11th Circuit) referred the matter to the full court - which decided against extending the stay - both he and Justice Scalia noted that they would have granted the extension.

Here's the background on the case via Chris Johnson at the Washington Blade:

In August, U.S. District Court Judge Robert Hinkle ruled against the state’s ban on same-sex marriage, known as Amendment 2, but placed a stay on his order until 91 days passed after the appeals process was completed in the Utah, Oklahoma and Virginia marriage cases. When the U.S. Supreme Court refused to review these cases, it set for date for same-sex couples to be able to marry in Florida starting Jan. 5.

Bondi tried to extend the stay on the same-sex marriages as she continued to defend the law in court, but her requests were by denied by the district court as well as the U.S. Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, which ordered the stay to be lifted “at the end of the day” on Jan. 5.

Nadine Smith, CEO of Equality Florida, issued this statement: "We are thrilled the U.S. Supreme Court has denied the State's request to delay marriages in Florida. Every day of delay is another day of harm experienced by thousands of loving and committed same-sex couples in Florida. It's time to break out the wedding bells! We look forward to January 6th being a special day -- Florida is ready for the freedom to marry."

I reported yesterday that Osceola County Clerk of the Courts Armando Ramirez has stated that if the stay was lifted, his courthouse would open at 12:01 a.m. on Jan. 6 to issue marriage licenses and possibly perform services.

I mentioned I'm shocked as this is the first time that SCOTUS has denied such a request before a federal appeals court had ruled on the issue. That said, I think it's a clear indication of the thinking of the high court in terms of marriage equality :)

Happy Dance Time!

Supreme Court Justice Thomas To Consider Extending Stay On Florida Same-Sex Marriage Ruling

On Monday, Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi requested the US Supreme Court consider an extension to the current stay on a federal district court's ruling which struck down the state's same-sex marriage ban.

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas oversees requests from the 11th Circuit (which includes the state of Florida). Thomas could decide for himself whether or not to extend the stay or submit it for review by the entire Supreme Court.

Now, it looks like he'll probably rule on his own, and most probably in favor of the extension.

From The Advocate:

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas said late Tuesday that he will consider Florida attorney general Pam Bondi’s petition to extend a hold on marriage equality in the state, and he has asked plaintiffs’ attorneys to present their arguments for lifting the stay by Thursday.

[snip]

The stay was set to expire at the end of the day January 5, allowing same-sex couples to being marrying in Florida January 6, and the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals this month denied Bondi's request for an extension. Bondi wants the stay to continue during the state’s appeal of Judge Robert Hinkle’s August ruling or, alternatively, until the Supreme Court decides whether to take up one of the four cases stemming from the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals decision to uphold marriage bans in four states."

Thomas has indicated in earlier cases that he leans toward granting such requests while rulings are still being reviewed.

Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi Elected Chairperson of Republican Association of Attorneys General

Pam Bondi

Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi has been elected chairperson of the Republican Association of Attorneys General.

Since taking office, the Associated Press points out that Bondi has accepted $51,000 in gifts (hotels, meals, free trips) to attend RAGA events.

Bondi, along with Florida Gov. Rick Scott, is responsible in great part for continuing the ban on same-sex marriage in the state.

Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi Files Opposition To Lifting Stay On Same-Sex Marriage Ruling

Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi

As expected, Attorney General for Florida - Pam Bondi - has filed a brief in opposition of lifting a stay on a ruling which would allow same-sex marriage to begin.

The stay in question was set to expire today. Bondi filed at pretty much the last minute.

From Equality Florida:

Earlier this month the US Supreme Court paved the way for marriages for same-sex couples to commence in 13 states by refusing to hear appeals of five circuit court rulings that found state bans unconstitutional. The ACLU and lawyers for plaintiffs in a concurrent case immediately asked Judge Hinkle to lift the stay he put in place in January when he declared the ban a violation of equal protection and due process.

On two occasions in the past month, the United States Courts for the 9th Circuit lifted a stay while decisions on marriage equality in Idaho and Alaska are appealed. The U.S. Supreme Court also refused to order the court to keep the stay in place while appeals continue, despite appeals from the defense. Both the Circuit Court and the U.S. Supreme Court stated that they will not make couples wait to marry while appeals are pending.

“Even if she continues to pursue an appeal, Attorney General Bondi should not hold our state and our families hostage by calling for the stay to remain in place. Should she choose to appeal, let her follow the lead of the 9th Circuit and the U.S. Supreme Court and allow marriages to commence. Every day that Floridians are denied access to the protections only marriage can provide, our families suffer," added Smith.

See the full brief below:

4:14-cv-00107 #92 - Florida Opposition to Lifting Stay by Equality Case Files

Florida: Attorney General Pam Bondi asks state appeals courts to hold on same-sex marriage indefinitely

Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi

Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi is ducking her responsibilities by asking state appeals courts to put marriage equality appeals on hold indefinitely until the US Supreme Court rules on the issue.

“Neither this Court nor the Florida Supreme Court can decide this federal issue with finality,” Bondi wrote in a filing late Thursday to the state’s 3rd District Court of Appeal. “The United States Supreme Court, however, ‘has the final word on the United States Constitution.’”

Bondi told the appeals court she expects the U.S. Supreme Court will act soon on the gay marriage issue. She cited filings this week from the states of Utah and Oklahoma asking their gay-marriage cases be heard by the nation’s highest court.

“A ruling from the United States Supreme Court would end the constitutional debate, end this appeal, and end all related cases,” Bondi wrote. “The State of Florida will respect the United States Supreme Court’s final word. In the meantime, this Court should preserve taxpayer and judicial resources by staying briefing until the United States Supreme Court rules.”

While Utah and Oklahoma may ask SCOTUS to rule on their appeals, there is no guarantee that SCOTUS will take the cases. And even if SCOTUS does, rulings may not come for a year.

AG Bondi is content to let gay and lesbian couples in Florida wait - possibly years - for justice.

Wow - that's leadership?