Trump AG pick has long history of 'rigging the system' for GOP donors

15 January

Senate confirmation hearings for President-elect Donald Trump's administration nominees are now underway. And on Wednesday, January 15 — the day after a confirmation hearing for Trump defense secretary pick Pete Hegseth — Democratic and GOP senators will question former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, Trump's choice for U.S. attorney general.

Trump originally had former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Florida) in mind for that position, but he picked Bondi after Gaetz — who is controversial even among Republicans — withdrew from consideration.

In an article published ahead of Bondi's confirmation hearing, Salon's Russell Payne examines Bondi's years as Florida attorney general and reports that she is "drawing renewed scrutiny over the friendly positions her office took on businesses that donated to Republican organizations."

"Bondi's career as Florida attorney general, while defended by Republicans, was marred by repeatedly dropping lawsuits against companies that donated to the Republican State Leadership Committee and the Republican Attorneys General Association, two organizations that supported Bondi," Payne explains. "The RSLC works to 'recruit, train, and elect' Republican officials for state-level offices and RAGA does the same, though it is specifically focused on supporting Republican attorney generals around the country."

In 2014, according to Payne, Bondi's office "dropped a lawsuit against the travel booking website Expedia over an alleged scheme to withhold taxes in Florida."

"The decision to drop the lawsuit came after Expedia donated more than $190,000 to the RSLC and RAGA between 2011 and 2014," Payne notes. "While Bondi denied that the company's 'access' had any 'bearing' on the decision to drop the suit, it is part of a pattern of behavior."

According to a report from the watchdog group Accountable.US, Bondi's years as Florida attorney general were "marred by financial conflicts of interest as corporate interests endowed the Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA) and the Republican State Leadership Committee."

Accountable.US Executive Director Tony Carrk told Salon, "Pam Bondi frequently played favorites with big corporate donors and political insiders at the expense of everyday consumers, patients and the public good. Nothing indicates Bondi would change her office-peddling modus operandi as America's top justice official, which would be part and parcel with President-elect Trump's agenda of further rigging the system in favor of wealthy corporate interests."

Read Russell Payne's full Salon article at this link.

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