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[thefro]

After Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi dropped Florida's Trump University investigation, Donald Trump hosted a $3000/per person fundraiser for Bondi at his Mar-a-Lago resort and gave the Republican party a yuge deal on the event space. Donald Trump & Ivanka Trump also gave $500 donations to Bondi (this is on top of the $25,000 the "Trump Foundation" gave to a pro-Bondi PAC).

WASHINGTON ― In March 2014, Donald Trump opened his 126-room Palm Beach resort, Mar-a-Lago, for a $3,000-per-person fundraiser for Pam Bondi. The Florida attorney general, who was facing a tough re-election campaign, had recently decided not to investigate Trump University.

Trump did not write a check to the attorney general that night. The previous fall, his personal foundation had given $25,000 to a pro-Bondi PAC. But by hosting her fundraiser at Mar-a-Lago and bringing in some of his own star power, Trump provided Bondi’s campaign with a nice financial boost.

Since he began his run for the White House, Trump has repeatedly claimed that Bondi is merely someone he has supported politically. But his fundraising efforts for her were extensive and varied: In addition to the $25,000 donation from his foundation and the star-studded Mar-a-Lago event, Trump and his daughter Ivanka each gave $500 to Bondi’s campaign in the fall of 2013. The following spring, Ivanka and her father donated another $125,000 to the Republican Party of Florida ― Bondi’s single biggest source of campaign funds.

All this money created the appearance that Donald Trump was thanking Bondi for halting any further investigation into his failed seminar programs. Trump’s efforts to boost her politically came during and after a period when Bondi was under pressure to pursue allegations that those seminars were defrauding consumers.

The use of Mar-a-Lago alone was a donation of some value. Space at the resort is expensive to rent, and Trump has charged his own presidential campaign roughly $140,000 per event for use of the mansion.

In contrast, the Republican Party of Florida paid only $4,855.65 for the Bondi fundraiser, cutting a check on March 25, 2014.

When Bondi was elected attorney general, the broader question of what to do about all the Trump Institute complaints ― and whether Florida could or should join pending lawsuits ― had yet to be resolved. As late as Sept. 14, 2013, Bondi’s spokesman said that the office was reviewing the allegations “to see if they have any relevance in Florida.”

But around that time, Bondi personally solicited Trump for a political donation. On Sept. 17, the real estate mogul’s charitable foundation wrote the $25,000 check to the Bondi-backing PAC named And Justice For All. (The check proved to be a violation of Internal Revenue Service rules for tax-exempt nonprofits. Trump recently paid a $2,500 penalty.)

“I’ve got to give [campaign contributions] to them, because when I want something, I get it,” Trump said in January. “When I call, they kiss my ass. It’s true. They kiss my ass. It’s true.”

A former employee of Trump University, who requested anonymity because he has a nondisclosure agreement, said that politics always played a role in how Trump University did business.

“All we had to do is stroke a check to the committee to re-elect [the state attorney general],” the individual said. “And the problems went away.”

 

[BossDarkseid]

Attorney General's seem surprisingly cheap.

 

[Aureon]

You can buy an AG for less than 50k?

 

[KingBroly]

You can buy an AG for less than 50k?

Presumably more than 16 people are going to show up

 

[Fat4all]

BUT DID HE COUGH?

 

[IvanJ]

To me, the biggest problem is that the US judicial and law enforcement position are elected. That opens up so much room for corruption, like in this case.

The fact that the AG needs to fundraise in the first place is horrible.

 

[sprsk]

To me, the biggest problem is that the US judicial and law enforcement position are elected. That opens up so much room for corruption, like in this case.

The fact that the AG needs to fundraise in the first place is horrible.

Trump is just a victim of our messed up judiciary system.

 

[DrKelpo]

and this is legal?

 

[Condom]

To me, the biggest problem is that the US judicial and law enforcement position are elected. That opens up so much room for corruption, like in this case.

The fact that the AG needs to fundraise in the first place is horrible.

AFAIK that also goes against the fundamentals of bureaucracy. You're essentially making those positions political instead of solely administrative positions.

 

[Hagi]

Shady as fuck, when will corrupt Hillary stop these false flag operations against Trumpotron!

Seriously though Trump is so full of shit he might be causing global warming by himself.

 

[BriGuy]

BUT DID HE COUGH?

Yep. This is yet another instant campaign-killing issue that will be brushed off, scratch that, rewarded just because it's Trump. He's corrupt, dangerously incompetent, and an all around terrible person, but he's entertaining dammit. And isn't that what counts? The president we deserve.

 

[Fat4all]

Yep. This is yet another instant campaign-killing issue that will be brushed off, scratch that, rewarded just because it's Trump. He's corrupt, dangerously incompetent, and an all around terrible person, but he's entertaining dammit. And isn't that what counts? The president we deserve.

I for one welcome our new coughless overlords

 

[Skele7on]

Yep. This is yet another instant campaign-killing issue that will be brushed off, scratch that, rewarded just because it's Hilary. she's corrupt, dangerously incompetent, and an all around terrible person, but she's entertaining dammit. And isn't that what counts? The president we deserve.

....

 

[Zoggy]

....

Wut

 

[Shaffield]

You can buy an AG for less than 50k?

Look he's a business man, first of all and the number one thing is that he's always been a business man, everyone knows it, and he's gonna get the best deals

 

[winjet81]

Dickstein Shapiro.

 

[Kurtofan]

It's a new console

 

[zelas]

This is ok with me. I'd rather vote for actual corruption than perceived corruption. Trump says what he means.

 

[Patryn]

But the press at large would rather look at the Clinton Foundation. After all, they haven't found anything dirty whatsoever, unlike this, so clearly the Clintons are up to something much, much worse.

 

[Big Baybee]

Had this been Clinton......ugh. This is actual corruption, guys.

 

[Orbis Tabula]

Seems like in the past few days, most major outlets have now written about this. Sure, it was slow to take hold, but I'm not sure the "media lets Trump get away with anything!" narrative really holds anymore in this case.

 

[jim-jam bongs]

Dastardly Donald strikes again

 

[JaggedSac]

I read about this in this article I read yesterday:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/blog...473171315602&tid=ss_tw&utm_term=.f5bf7cf77711

 

[gofreak]

Dastardly Donald strikes again

Dodgy Donald.

Seriously, this is what an actual political scandal looks like. Get in on that, media people.

 

[metalslimer]

Dodgy Donald.

Seriously, this is what an actual political scandal looks like. Get in on that, media people.

They've exhausted themselves on the Clinton Foundation because no one cares the dozens of terrible Trump incidents

 

[Skele7on]

Wut

It's to show that actually both candidates are not the greatest that we've seen and both are hardly a shining example of a leader. Hilary if she had a real competition on her hands wouldn't stand a chance, the fact she's facing off against the apparent devil and it's still very close should be throwing flags, but currently it isn't, that's what's truly scary.

 

[Derwind]

It's to show that actually both candidates are not the greatest that we've seen and both are hardly a shining example of a leader. Hilary if she had a real competition on her hands wouldn't stand a chance, the fact she's facing off against the apparent devil and it's still very close should be throwing flags, but currently it isn't, that's what's truly scary.

I think what's truly scary is that all her red flags that are always such a vague topic are still a more preferable outcome to Trump's utter lack of diplomacy, extreme(vetting) xenophobia, fascist ideals that seem to appeal to known hate groups and the myriad of exploitative strategies like the above mentioned among other things.

And on top of all that, we still want to play the game where we equate the two.

Dislike Hillary all you want but at least she isn't toying with the idea of nuking other countries.

 

[weremichael]

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/07/us/politics/donald-trump-pam-bondi.html?rref=collection%2Ftimestopic%2FTrump%2C%20Donald%20J.&action=click&contentCollection=timestopics&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=4&pgtype=collection&_r=0

The New York Times picked up the story. I think the issue is that Trump is providing a fire hose of unethical behavior and absurd statements and the media chases each story like lawyers chase ambulances.

 

[old manatee]

So thankful I'm not sharing an umbrella with Donald Trump right now.

 

[Oppo]

all that money and their invitation looks like a wood carving from 1650

 

[GrizzleBoy]

CROOKED HILLARY

 

[RuGalz]

Trump: see, I know how the system works, that's why you vote for me then I can fix it.

 

[NealMcCauley]

So thankful I'm not sharing an umbrella with Donald Trump right now.

"Sorry beautiful. I just ate a taco bowl."

 

[Maxim726X]

Trump: see, I know how the system works, that's why you vote for me then I can fix it.

Yep. That's exactly what he will say, and people will love him for it.

 

[Pastry]

Seems like in the past few days, most major outlets have now written about this. Sure, it was slow to take hold, but I'm not sure the "media lets Trump get away with anything!" narrative really holds anymore in this case.

This would absolutely sink any other campaign though. Hillary would be crucified if news like this came out.

 

[Baraka in the White House]

But Hillary hocked a loogie guys.

 

[Orbis Tabula]

This would absolutely sink any other campaign though. Hillary would be crucified if news like this came out.

I mean, Trump is losing.

 

[bachikarn]

Is the Trump U investigation completely dropped or is this just in Florida?

 

[LiK]

Crooked Trump

 

[BoosterDuck]

But Hillary hocked a loogie guys.

goddamn, why is she even running for office

 

[Veritigo_X]

The fact that Trump has been spending campaign money on his own properties at ridiculous prices shows what a con artist he really is. I'd love to hear what our resident Trump supporters think about this, but they're too busy discussing neonazi conspiracy theories about Hillary's health.

 

[Lord Frieza]

Yep. This is yet another instant campaign-killing issue that will be brushed off, scratch that, rewarded just because it's Trump. He's corrupt, dangerously incompetent, and an all around terrible person, but he's entertaining dammit. And isn't that what counts? The president we deserve.

Lol, some of you people are so stuck in the primary. This post is bullshit. It will get reported, and I guarantee you it will not be rewarded in any way or form. Seriously, what the hell are some of you people watching and reading out there? It's like some of you only see Fox News and other similar right-wing media and pay absolutely no attention whatsoever to any other reporting.

Yep. That's exactly what he will say, and people will love him for it.

The established base for Trump maybe, but everyone else: No. No matter how hard some of you try to bring back the "Trump is Unstoppable" narrative, it's not really true anymore, and well, it never really was, but the actual validity of that narrative has been shattered a long time ago.

It's to show that actually both candidates are not the greatest that we've seen and both are hardly a shining example of a leader. Hilary if she had a real competition on her hands wouldn't stand a chance, the fact she's facing off against the apparent devil and it's still very close should be throwing flags, but currently it isn't, that's what's truly scary.

The race isn't really that close.

 

[geardo]

Well, he did boast about buying politicians when he started his campaign, so I'm not surprised, but fuck him still. It amazes me how brazen they are with their corruption nowadays. America, our shit is broken.

 

[iammeiam]

This would absolutely sink any other campaign though. Hillary would be crucified if news like this came out.

After a particularly depressing discussion with a Trump-voting family member this weekend, as far as I can tell the difference is when Hillary does something that looks shady, she's being a crooked politician. When Trump does something like this, he's being a smart businessman and taking advantage of the existing broken establishment, of which Hillary is a part. Trump's complete lack of experience or qualification is his out here.

The larger issue for me is how successful his campaign often is in drawing equivalence a between his massive issues and Hillary's more nebulous just-asking-questions. I don't think this would ever damage him with his built in base of support, but I do think the impact this should have on undecided voters is blunted by his campaign's success in deflecting any questions about it with Clinton Foundation pay for play/meeting accusations, despite the latter being a lot less solid and not actually negating the former. They can't spin this into a win for him, but are generally pretty effective at making any attempt to talk about this have "but Hillary!" tacked on.

 

[Link]

Lol, some of you people are so stuck in the primary. This post is bullshit. It will get reported, and I guarantee you it will not be rewarded in any way or form. Seriously, what the hell are some of you people watching and reading out there? It's like some of you only see Fox News and other similar right-wing media and pay absolutely no attention whatsoever to any other reporting.

Yeah, the host will ask Trump's surrogates about it, they'll completely avoid answering, then pivot to Hillary's emails and that she's dying, and ask why that's not what's being talked about since that's the real story. The host will then thank them and move on to the next story. Journalism!

 

[studyguy]

Trump being a braggart about buying politicians really coming back to bite his ass. Was hearing about this all yesterday. I mean what do you expect to happen when you tell people you buy politicians? Of course the media will dig into it.

 

[Lord Frieza]

Yeah, the host will ask Trump's surrogates about it, they'll completely avoid answering, then pivot to Hillary's emails and that she's dying, and ask why that's not what's being talked about since that's the real story. The host will then thank them and move on to the next story. Journalism!

Yeah, and? Does that void what I'm saying? It'll get reported, it won't be rewarded, etc. Like I told you in the other thread, it may not be the hard-hitting journalism you want, but to completely ignore it is, honestly, just pure ignorance. Especially to say it will be rewarded, which is definitely total bullshit to any news source outside the far-right.

 

[Mattlikewhoa]

This is actual corruption, so how is this not making the "regular" news cycles?!?

 

[Lord Frieza]

This is actual corruption, so how is this not making the "regular" news cycles?!?

It is. Are you actually watching the "regular" news cycle?

 

[Reversed]

That's a tall oompa loompa on OP's pic.