Both she and Trump say they did not discuss the pending fraud case in those conversations. When they call, I give. “You know, he has not tried to hide the fact that has occurred”.
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During the first debate of the Republican primaries, Fox News’ Bret Baier questioned Trump on that point. “I call them. They are there for me”.
Trump’s $25,000 donation came shortly before Bondi declined to investigate accusations of wrongdoing by Trump University. The foundation incorrectly reported that the money went to an unrelated charity in Kansas with a similar name. Whatever the answer, Trump’s position on campaign donations may be a good example of his proposition that voters may support him no matter what he does or says.
CREW filed a complaint over the Trump contribution in March. In that story, a Bondi spokeswoman was quoted as saying Florida was reviewing the NY lawsuit.
Trump in 2013 donated $25,000 to a political group supporting Bondi’s re-election bid, just days after her office said it was weighing an investigation into allegations of fraud against the scandal-ridden Trump University. You saw this morning, 90 of our top generals, military leaders of our country came out and endorsed my father saying it would pretty much be a disaster if Hillary Clinton got in the White House.
Trump donated to the political campaigns of two state Attorney-Generals. Bondi, who is now a top Trump supporter in Florida, decided not to pursue the case.
“In fairness to Bondi, it is not at all clear whether she knew the details of the investigation when the check was solicited, or whether it influenced her office’s decision”, Gelber writes, but adds that it doesn’t have to.
Trump told reporters traveling on his plane this week there was no connection between the NY lawsuit and his gift to the Florida attorney general’s fundraising committee. “She is very popular”.
Last night, the Huffington Post reported that not only did Trump give Bondi that donation, a few months later he hosted a $3,000-a-person fundraiser for her reelection at his Mar-a-Lago resort.
“Trump University students received quality coursework and substantial value in return”, Garten said. The CNN reporter also noted that there were many states looking into possibly bringing a suit against Trump. This week, the Republican candidate paid a fine of $2,500 to the IRS for not having notified them of this donation.
Copyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.
Donald Trump’s new “pay to play” trouble continues to generate negative headlines for the candidate. In a campaign appearance in Iowa in January, Trump talked about the corrupting power of money in politics and how he himself had to pay to play. NPR’s Scott Horsley explains.
DONALD TRUMP: I give to everybody.
“I’ve just known Pam Bondi for years”. Yes, it is. And now, at last, the Internal Revenue Service has agreed by levying a fine on the foundation for violating the rules that bar political donations by the charities. “Clearly, his tax returns tell a story the American people deserve and need to know”.
“The rules are clear: a tax-exempt charitable foundation can not support a political group”, the group’s executive director Noah Bookbinder said in a news release at the time of the complaint. And then it looks like there’s a problem in terms of giving false information to the IRS.
Donald Trump dismissed allegations of impropriety on Monday, saying his foundation’s $25,000 donation to Florida’s attorney general had nothing to do with her office mulling an investigation into Trump University.
Earlier this summer, Bondi’s spokesperson confirmed that the AG had personally asked Trump for money during a 2013 phone call. It’s certainly something that we think ought to be investigated. Something that for her part Bondi has denied over the years. She’s a fine person, beyond reproach.
“In other words, Floridians could join New York’s lawsuit”, Griffin simplified.
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New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman filed a lawsuit on August 25, 2013, alleging that Trump University and its affiliates were “sham for-profit colleges” that ripped off 5,000 consumers.
