Trump donation to Bondi troubling

$25,000. That is all it took for Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi to sell-out. She opted out of a multi-state fraud investigation of Trump University shortly after requesting — and only four days after receiving — Trump’s $25,000 donation to a group backing her re-election campaign.

We should not be surprised. Before the Iowa primary this year, Trump bragged of his ability to use his wealth to buy politicians. It was a mistake to assume that Trump’s “bought” politicians were all in New York or New Jersey. Florida is his adopted home state. His corrupt practices have reached us.

What is most troubling is that he bought Florida’s attorney general.

Pam Bondi’s AG web site notes that her office is home to the Consumer Protection Division. According to the site: “… the civil enforcement authority for all multi-circuit violations of the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act. The division protects Florida consumers by pursuing individuals and entities that engage in unfair methods of competition or unconscionable, deceptive and unfair practices in any trade or commerce. The division also often partners with other state attorneys general, other state agencies, and the federal consumer protection enforcement agencies in joint enforcement efforts.”

This is exactly what dozens of Floridians contacted her office to complain about in relation to Trump University. Bondi could have done her job and joined with the New York AG’s office in their investigation and ultimate litigation against Trump University. Instead, she turned her back on the Florida consumers she swore under oath to protect. She solicited, then accepted, a $25,000 campaign donation from Trump.

After this revelation, we no longer need to establish what AG Bondi is. In fact, we don’t even need to determine how much. She has given us that answer.

This story was originally published June 10, 2016 at 2:23 PM with the headline "Trump donation to Bondi troubling."