Progress Florida

Ask The Justice Department To Investigate Attorney General Bondi

In the fall of 2013, Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi personally solicited a major campaign contribution from Donald Trump for her reelection campaign. Bondi’s office subsequently dropped a potential case against Trump University despite numerous complaints from Floridians. Bondi’s political committee received a $25,000 check four days after the case was dropped.

The actions of Attorney General Bondi show a consistent pattern of "pay to look away" with Trump and other powerful interests. Sign the petition to US Attorney General Loretta Lynch calling for an investigation of Bondi today.

Petition To US Attorney General Loretta Lynch

Dear Attorney General Lynch,

Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi has demonstrated a consistent pattern of "pay to look away." Time and again, powerful interests have received preferential treatment by Bondi's office and in return, Bondi and connected political interests have benefited from significant campaign contributions.

The attorney general is Florida’s chief legal officer and simply the perception of "pay to look away" is destructive to our state’s ability to enforce the law and protect everyday Floridians. We, the undersigned, urge you to launch an official investigation of Attorney General Bondi regarding her campaign contribution from Donald Trump and similar instances where campaign contributors had potential cases against them dropped by the Florida attorney general's office.

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    Subject: "Pay to look away"
    Friends,

    In the fall of 2013, Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi personally solicited a major campaign contribution from Donald Trump for her reelection campaign. Bondi’s office subsequently dropped a potential case against Trump University despite numerous complaints from Floridians. Bondi’s political committee received a $25,000 check four days after the case was dropped.

    The actions of Attorney General Bondi show a consistent pattern of "pay to look away." Join me and sign the petition to US Attorney General Loretta Lynch calling for an investigation of Bondi today.

    http://act.progressflorida.org/sign/bondi-investigate/?source=taf

    Unfortunately, this latest episode of “pay to look away” is not Bondi’s first. The New York Times analyzed the cozy relationships between state attorneys general and special interests in a major investigative piece in October 2014. The close relationship between Attorney General Bondi and law firm Dickstein Shapiro was a key focus of their investigation. On several occasions, it appears Dickstein Shapiro convinced Bondi’s office to drop cases against their clients while making significant contributions to the Republican Attorneys General Association, the Republican Party of Florida, and Bondi’s political committee. Some of these alleged “pay to look away” cases included:

    * Accretive Health: The hospital bill collection company was shut down by Minnesota’s attorney general due to their abusive collection practices. Pam Bondi’s office took no action.

    * Bridgepoint Education: Despite conducting what Iowa’s attorney general called “unconscionable sales practices,” Bondi’s office took no action against Bridgepoint despite complaints from Floridians.

    * Priceline and Travelocity: Bondi’s Republican predecessor, Bill McCollum filed suit against the travel companies for tax dodging. After hearing from Dickstein Shapiro, Bondi’s office quietly dropped the suit.

    The Florida Ethics Commission cleared the now defunct Dickstein Shapiro law firm in April of violating the state’s lobbying laws. However, Florida law in this area is still murky at best, with one attorney for the ethics commission describing it as “a delicate area.” Regardless, the latest revelations about Trump University have once again demonstrated that Bondi is making case decisions based on money and not the merits.

    Join me, sign the petition, and call for a federal investigation today.
    http://act.progressflorida.org/sign/bondi-investigate/?source=taf

    The attorney general is Florida’s chief legal officer and Pam Bondi’s clear pattern of “pay to look away” is destructive to our state’s ability to enforce the law and protect everyday Floridians from powerful interests.

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