Pam Bondi, a $25,000 Donation, and Trump University: Unresolved Questions

Pam Bondi, a $25,000 Donation, and Trump University: Unresolved Questions

While Pam Bondi, President-elect Donald J. Trump’s nominee for attorney general, served as Florida's top prosecutor, her office opted not to investigate fraud allegations against Trump University, the for-profit school associated with Mr. Trump.

Reports of deceptive practices and fraud by Trump University had been accumulating nationwide, including in Florida. In 2013, New York’s attorney general filed a lawsuit alleging the school engaged in “persistent fraudulent, illegal and deceptive conduct,” even though Trump University had ceased operations by that time.

Florida, however, took a different approach. Under Bondi’s leadership as attorney general since 2011, the office acknowledged receiving complaints about Trump University but chose not to pursue a formal investigation. This decision came shortly after Mr. Trump, through his foundation, donated $25,000 to a political action committee tied to Ms. Bondi during her re-election campaign.

Florida wasn’t alone in declining to take action. In California, then-Attorney General Kamala Harris also reviewed the Trump University complaints but did not pursue legal action. However, the timeline and circumstances in Florida have raised particular scrutiny, especially as Bondi now prepares for a federal appointment.

A Close Trump Ally

Bondi has long been a Trump ally, helping with his transition into the White House and defending him during his first impeachment trial. Her tenure as Florida’s attorney general, however, has sparked questions, particularly concerning her handling of Trump University complaints. Even Bondi admitted the controversy was troubling. “I never, nor was my office, investigating him,” she told The Tampa Bay Times in 2016. “I would never lie. I would never take money.”

Trump’s transition team has dismissed the concerns. “The Florida ethics panel cleared Pam Bondi,” said spokesperson Alex Pfeiffer. “This is old, discredited news.” Trump himself, while announcing her nomination, praised Bondi as the right choice to reform the Department of Justice, claiming it had been “weaponized against me and other Republicans.”

The Trump University Scandal

Founded in 2004, Trump University was marketed as a tool to help ordinary Americans achieve financial success. Former students, however, alleged they were misled by high-pressure sales tactics, false promises, and unqualified instructors, paying up to $35,000 for little more than motivational seminars. Trump consistently defended the program, citing positive feedback from participants.

In 2016, Trump agreed to a $25 million settlement to resolve multiple lawsuits, including one from the New York attorney general. The settlement provided restitution to students but left lingering questions about Bondi’s role in Florida’s lack of action.

The $25,000 Donation

In 2013, as complaints against Trump University mounted, Bondi reached out to Trump for a campaign donation. He first gave $500 that summer, followed by a $25,000 check in September from his family foundation to a PAC supporting Bondi’s campaign. Around the same time, Bondi’s office confirmed it would not investigate Trump University or join New York’s lawsuit.

Internal emails from Bondi’s office show aides discussing whether they had received recent complaints about Trump University in response to media inquiries. A consumer protection investigator confirmed no active or closed investigations related to the school. However, Florida had received complaints about Trump University as early as 2008, before Bondi’s tenure, with many alleging financial harm and unfulfilled promises.

Despite concerns about the timing, the Florida Commission on Ethics cleared Bondi in 2017, citing insufficient evidence that she influenced the decision not to pursue legal action.

Renewed Scrutiny

Bondi’s nomination has reignited interest in the controversy. Critics argue that her office’s handling of Trump University merits further examination. Tristan Snell, a former assistant attorney general in New York who worked on the case, urged senators to press Bondi on the donation during her confirmation hearings.

The $25,000 donation and the decisions surrounding Trump University remain a contentious chapter in Bondi’s career, raising questions about ethics, influence, and accountability in her prospective new role.