Donald Trump just won a key endorsement going into Tuesday’s Florida primary: that of 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 reelection 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 reelection.
Bondi ended up taking no action.
In numerous Republican presidential debates, Trump has explained that he donates big to politicians to buy influence. In one, he explained that he “supported Democrats, and I’ve supported Republicans. And as a businessman, I owed that to my company, to my family, to my workers, to everybody to get along.”
Seems like it’s time to start planning a move to Brazil. By the time they resolve the corruption in their government and its safe to walk the streets, which by then will be free of riotous protesters, the US anti-gov-ers will be occupying state capitols from Phoenix to Tallahassee and baying for blood, and then you’ll wish Trump had spread a little more around. Bernie 2016 btw and ftw
This is how they get away with it ( bribery ) legally. Trump wants to pay her off to drop the case, but if he donates to [ just her ] it will be obvious. So the solution is this : He’ll spend $ 75 thousand to get his ” problem ” to go away. Donate $ 25 thousand to ( 3 ) different politicians, one ( obviously ) being her. Now you see how it’s done – No way to say to Trump that he paid ( her ) only. This is – why / how, you see ( people / corporations ) continually donate to ” both ” parties. Keeps their ” friends ” – in government happy, and the ” others “, off their back. It’s called – Quid pro qou. “
I would really like to hear Noam’s take on this :) Bet it would be fascinating.
Trump’sTramp
So the U.S. is this corrupt. One approach is to try to fix the situation, which in a declining empire is mostly two steps back, not one step forward. Maybe we need another approach.
Could The Intercept put together a guide on how to bribe your local attorney general, and how to make sure (s)he stays bribed, for the edification of the masses? I mean, an ordinary guy accused of hacking somebody’s nude phone photos or beating up a dog with a golf club is liable to end up paying more than $25,000 on lawyers, isn’t he? People really, really fork over cash in the forlorn hope of staying out of the ninth circle of hell. But my guess is for every $1000 you spend on a lawyer, probably $200 goes up his nose, $200 goes to costs, $500 goes to profit, and $100 goes to the local attorney general. If people felt confident to cut out the middleman, they could take their puny middle class savings and get Trump-like results, because local attorney generals are really fucking cheap. And that would almost be like some kind of wealth redistribution or social equality, sort of like the kind of freedom people enjoy in China! Which, failing a Bernie win (and probably even if he did) is as close to a balancing of the scales as we’re likely to see, so it sounds like a noble cause to me!
Almost certainly not I would think; part of a properly and comprehensively prepared guide would involve interviewing somebody near the top of the pyramid scheme who is involved in said fraud, and I personally can’t fathom an honest interview pertaining to the correct and skillful practices of carrying out political corruption and bribery of appointed government officials being given by either Trump or Bondi to The Intercept anytime soon.
Just more lies about Trump you don’t fool us .!!!
I used to live in Tampa Bay years ago when Bondi was an Assistant State Attorney and she seemed pretty decent and principled. It’s been sad to see her progression into a right-wing hack as she ascended to higher office.
As always, just follow the money. And it is Florida.
Some days I am just so sad when confronted with the lack of integrity and dishonesty of some human beings.
Criminality by any other name
How do people think Trump got Christie’s endorsement and Carson’s endorsement.
It seems obvious to me that Trump offers a bag of cash in exchange for an endorsement.
The entire campaign/political system is a series of quid pro quos.
They (any prosecutor able and willing) cannot prosecute because it is so widespread — like arresting someone for going 75 in a school zone. If everyone does it, it stops being a crime.
The question isn’t who does it, the question is how to stop it.
I think a major attack against Trump in the general election should be that Trump takes part in the current environment of political corruption. He clearly does, and even brags about it. That said, I don’t believe Hillary Clinton is well equipped to advance that line of attack.
Ahhh… the limits of free expression…
Apparently one of my recent very important posts was blocked, probably for having the word z ion azi in it.
Way to go, Intercepts. Somehow, I don’t believe Mr. Greenwald would approve of this.
Was it better than this one?
Something even remotely resembling this (say the ‘businessman’ paying a fine) happening in Russia (or any other designated enemy state) would result in headlines screaming about widespread corruption, ‘mafia style governing’, ‘oligarchy control’ etc, plus warnings not to do business, sanctions, etc.
In most developed countries this sort of behavior would be investigated as potential criminal activity. Take the accusations against Lula in Brazil, for example. A key one is that he’s been payed exorbitant speaking fees for speeches he’s given to corporations.
Good for Trump. **ELECT TRUMP IN 2016**
Curious… are you the Jimbo of Freerepublic dot com?
Wow, Pam Bondi needs to resign effective immediately for a paid endorsement.
Scandalous witch. Wow, Trump is an Washington Insider not an Washington Outsider.
I wish Anonymous would investigate this as Rick Scott is too stupid to do his job and demand a resignation from Pam Bondi.
They are almost all bought and paid for and every rational person knows it. Trump even brags about it on national TV; do Americans have no Cojones? Why are people not in the streets? Why would anyone vote for anyone but Bernie for POTUS? Hillary has a 30% trust rating and she is going to win?
This election is a real W T F moment!
Your sentiment is shared by every Bernie Sanders supporter. We cannot believe the way this election has strayed so far off the intellectual and decent path.
Donald J Trump is a true patriot who will work for ALL the citizens of America if he is elected President.
Trump is the only candidate “of the people, by the people, and for the people” who has enough common sense and courage to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!
TRUMP 2016!!!!
TRUMP is a true patriot and will work for ALL citizens of America if he is elected President. He is the only candidate “of the people, by the people, and for the people” who has the common sense and courage to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!
TRUMP 2016!!!!
Delphinia: April 1 is still a few weeks away; hold the jokes for that day.
Delphinia and Jimbo (see above) represent the full range of the policy arguments in favor of Donald Trump. Their arguments are so articulate and persuasive that opposition just withers in their presence.
Further evidence of one of my personal themes: the reason we have corrupt, destructive leadership is because it reflects the electorate. As our educational system continues to deteriorate, expect the same of the politicians. Fifty years from now people like George W. Bush and Barack Obama will seem absolutely brilliant and idealistic by comparison.
Erm…did you not even read this article, Delphinia?
This article merely presents evidence confirming that the corruption of politics in the US is complete, with that at the local level distinguished from that at the national level only in terms of the amount of money that needs to change hands to affect an outcome.
And of course it is not new. Decades ago my half brother was arrested for distribution. Was he guilty? Shucks, I don’t know, but he always seemed to have a couple of bricks laying around. His father went to my cousin, an attorney, and asked what he should do. The suggestion was that a donation should be made to a particular individual who was running for DA. The donation was made, the election was won, and the charges were dropped. But naturally it was not quid pro quo, and not illegal in any respect. Why? Everybody involved was white, and nothing was written down.
Florida state’s attorney general, her (stock?) photo, reminds me of a stereotypical host on Fox (faux) News lol ? Start tomorrow, Mr. Ailes? Maybe not so far-fetched. Crazy days are here. Be aware. Love from Arizona. In memory of John Trudell.
this article relates to John how ? Crazy days comment perhaps intended to frame ? Peace
First, John Trudell is my hero and hero to millions, First Peoples and middle-class folk. like my Woodstocker-self, miss John’s presence. His Glory Days poem decries the crazy days that have come to pass (like the genesis to which this article alludes.) Carrion spirits from the dark side of Spirit have come to roost upon our destructive behaviors – like this lady’s corrupt behavior.
We live today in the same crazy days about which he lamented in his art. Indigenous People everywhere, even Whites,like myself, have our historical roots to Mother Earth on a Sacred Ground along Our Grandmother waters..