At hand is the question of whether the Trump Foundation made the $25,000 contribution to stave off a Florida state inquiry related to allegations against Trump University – the NY billionaire’s embattled entrepreneurship business.
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Trump has bragged about making political donations to politicians to curry favor with them and benefit his businesses, regularly using such statements to undermine his critics in both parties. That contribution has drawn scrutiny in part because the $25,000 came from Trump’s nonprofit charitable foundation – in violation of IRS rules – and because the foundation failed to properly report the gift on its tax return.
Donald Trump made the donation to a political organization that was supporting Mrs. Bondi, right after her office revealed that it was looking into the for-profit education business.
In the documented complaints, one couple says they lost $19,000 to the Trump Institute real estate mentoring program, outlining a long run-around they say ended without them receiving the information they paid for. “Never spoke to her about that at all”, Trump said. “She’s a fine person, beyond reproach”.
Mr. Trump has insisted that he never spoke to her about the investigations.
Who knows? But according to multiple reports, well before this became a big story and never denied by Trump, Pam Bondi personally solicited the contribution from Trump.
That’s when Bondi announced she wasn’t going forward with a lawsuit against Trump and wouldn’t join Schneiderman’s lawsuit, citing insufficient evidence to prosecute the NY real estate mogul, according to the AP.
Clinton raised questions about the donation with reporters aboard her campaign plane on Tuesday.
Donald Trump’s new “pay to play” trouble continues to generate negative headlines for the candidate. After New York A.G. Eric Schneiderman received complaints, he filed a civil suit against Trump University, labeling it a “bait-and-switch” scheme. “He has a residence in Florida”, she said.
“The American people deserve to know what was said, because clearly the attorney general did not proceed with the investigation”, Clinton said, according to the Washington Post.
As Clinton supporters accused Trump of paying Bondi to ignore accusations against Trump University, Trump’s supporters took to the airwaves to defend him. He added: “When they call, I give”.
Trump has repeatedly alleged that Clinton participated in such “pay-to-play” deals with Clinton Foundation donors during her tenure as Secretary of State. Attorneys general from other states had said they couldn’t defend bans on adoption by same-sex couples or LGBT individuals, saying they were unconstitutional.
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In contrast, the Republican Party of Florida paid only $4,855.65 for the Bondi fundraiser, cutting a check on March 25, 2014. “Marco Rubio of course won the primary and will be our next U.S. Senator, as he should be, and yet Donald Trump overwhelmingly won the presidential primary”.
