Donald Trump’s past political contributions came back to haunt him Tuesday, as it came to light that back in 2013 he illegally donated to Pam Bondi who was running for Florida Attorney General. “In 2013, the Donald J. Trump Association donated $25,000 to a super PAC tied to Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi as her office was considering a fraud investigation into Trump University,” reported Katy Tur on NBC Nightly News. NBC was the only network to report the story, and in their rush to slam Trump they omitted some important details.
Tur would go on to report that the investigation was never opened by Bondi’s office. She also insinuated that the money was given as part of a quid pro quo, reporting, “Today Bondi accused Hillary Clinton of trying to gin up outrage…. Despite bragging during the primary, he[Trump] knew how to work the system.” Tur then played a clip of a Trump rally from January 9 2016, “I've got to give it to them, because when I want something I get it. When I call, they kiss my a[bleep].” But there were key details Tur left out of her report.
Earlier in the day CNN’s Drew Griffin reported on The Lead that, “Since Pam Bondi took office, up until the decision was made, Florida received just one complaint against Trump University.” Griffin quoted a statement from a spokesperson from Florida’s Attorney General, which stated:
It wasn't enough to justify Florida filing suit. Instead, staff, doing due diligence, reviewed the complaints and the New York litigation and made the proper determination that the New York litigation would provide relief to aggrieved consumers nationwide.
“In other words, Floridians could join New York's lawsuit,” Griffin simplified. The CNN reporter also noted that there were many states looking into possibly bringing a suit against Trump. Some of those states even had Democratic attorney generals, yet, “And, but for a few warning letters, they too decided not to file lawsuits against Trump.”
Univision’s Jorge Ramos, who is on his own anti-Trump crusade, left those facts out as well. In a brief lasting a mere 25 seconds Ramos reported that, “In that moment, Bondi's office studied the possibility of opening an investigation for fraud on Trump University. In the end, it was decided not to investigate.”
Although the timing of the donation is suspect, it does a disservice to the public to withhold information just to be able to hit a presidential candidate. And as Griffin stated at the beginning of his report, “we found the facts and we'll let them speak for themselves.”
Transcripts below:
NBC
Nightly News
September 6, 2016
7:08:24 PM EasternKATY TUR: I’m Katy Tur. Today Donald Trump is taking a new shot at Hillary Clinton, this time about her appearance.
DONALD TRUMP: I don't think she has a presidential look. And you need a presidential look, you have to get the job done.
TUR: But it's the questions about the appearance and timing of an illegal political donation that are now surrounding Trump. In 2013, the Donald J. Trump Association donated $25,000 to a super PAC tied to Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi as her office was considering a fraud investigation into Trump University. That investigation was never opened. Today Bondi accused Hillary Clinton of trying to gin up outrage.
PAM BONDI: Of course I asked Donald Trump for a contribution, that’s not what this is about. She was saying he was under investigation by my office at the time and I knew about it, none of which is true.
TUR: Despite bragging during the primary, he knew how to work the system.
TRUMP: I've got to give it to them, because when I want something I get it. When I call, they kiss my a[bleep].
TUR: Both Bondi and Trump say there was no impropriety. And the campaign says Donald Trump paid the IRS fine.
...
...
CNN
The Lead
September 6, 2016
4:10:17 PM Eastern…
DREW GRIFFIN: Here are the facts. Pam Bondi took office in 2011. Trump University was already out of business. Prior to her taking office, Florida’s attorney general's office received 20 complaints against Trump Institute, a business affiliated with Trump, but it, too, was out of business.
Since Pam Bondi took office, up until the decision was made, Florida received just one complaint against Trump University. According to a spokesman for Florida's attorney general: “It wasn't enough to justify Florida filing suit. Instead, staff, doing due diligence, reviewed the complaints and the New York litigation and made the proper determination that the New York litigation would provide relief to aggrieved consumers nationwide."
In other words, Floridians could join New York's lawsuit. The spokesman also told CNN Pam Bondi had nothing to do with it, the decision was made by staff. In fact, the spokesman says Pam Bondi didn't even know there were complaints against Trump.
But around the same time the Florida attorney general's office was deciding to not pursue a case against Trump, Pam Bondi was pursuing Donald Trump himself for a political donation. It was September of 2013. Trump's foundation donated $25,000 to Bondi's political action committee. Bondi's attorney general's office never pursued the case.
…
Jake, we should also point out many states were looking at complaints about Trump University and deciding if they should pursue a case or not. That includes Illinois, Maryland, and Massachusetts. Those states all had Democrats as attorneys general at the time. And, but for a few warning letters, they too decided not to file lawsuits against Trump.
...
UNIVISION
NOTICIERO UNIVISION
6:33:46 PM - 6:34:10 PM EST | 24 SECSJORGE RAMOS, ANCHOR, UNIVISION: Donald Trump rejected that there was anything improper about a donation made by his foundation in 2013 to the campaign of Florida's Attorney General Pam Bondi. In that moment, Bondi's office studied the possibility of opening an investigation for fraud on Trump University. In the end, it was decided not to investigate. This week, the Republican candidate paid a fine of $2,500 to the IRS for not having notified them of this donation.
