11/21/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 11/22/2024 14:44
In response to Donald Trump choosing Pam Bondi as his new attorney general pick, DNC Rapid Response Director Alex Floyd released the following statement:
"Hours after his first disaster of an AG pick imploded, Donald Trump is now turning to Project 2025's lawyer to run the Justice Department because he desperately wants an attorney general who is loyal to him and his toxic agenda - not the rule of law. Pam Bondi is an unfit lackey who has proven time and time again she'll focus on protecting Trump's interests over the American people. The attorney general should be the defender of our democracy and Americans' rights, but Trump is instead installing a loyalist who will make good on his threats to exact revenge on his political opponents while protecting his corrupt cronies."
BREAKING: Donald Trump just chose Pam Bondi as his new attorney general pick, an ultra-MAGA loyalist who works for a group "helping to implement Project 2025."
NBC News: "President-elect Donald Trump announced Thursday evening that his new pick for attorney general is Pam Bondi."
America First Policy Institute: "Pam Bondi is from Tampa, Florida, and serves as the Chair for the Center for Litigation, and Co-Chair of the Center for Law and Justice at AFPI."
Politico: "For the America First Policy Institute, which is helping to implement Project 2025, its grandest ambitions lie in soliciting governors and state attorneys general to the cause, among others."
New York Times: "Founded by three wealthy Texans in late 2020, the group, known as A.F.P.I., has quickly inserted itself into nearly every corner of Mr. Trump's political machine, and is closer than any other outside player in his planning for a second term."
Bondi previously dropped an investigation into Trump University after asking for and receiving a $25,000 illegal contribution to her campaign from a Trump charity.
CREW: "In March 2016, CREW discovered that the Trump Foundation had broken the law by giving an illegal $25,000 contribution to a political group supporting Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi. Charitable foundations like the Trump Foundation are not allowed to engage in politics. Even more problematic was the fact that the contribution was given as Bondi's office was deciding whether to take legal action related to Trump University."
Washington Post: "Donald Trump paid the IRS a $2,500 penalty this year, an official at Trump's company said, after it was revealed that Trump's charitable foundation had violated tax laws by giving a political contribution to a campaign group connected to Florida's attorney general.
"The improper donation, a $25,000 gift from the Donald J. Trump Foundation, was made in 2013. At the time, Attorney General Pam Bondi was considering whether to investigate fraud allegations against Trump University. She decided not to pursue the case."
CNN: "The donation came from one of Trump's charities six days after Bondi's then-spokeswoman told a reporter their office was 'currently reviewing the allegations' against Trump University in a class action lawsuit in New York, according to internal emails that were among more than 8,000 pages of documents originally requested by The Orlando Sentinel and also obtained by CNN.
"Florida never pursued any investigation or action against Trump or his university."
Vox: "Then, four days later, a $25,000 check from Trump to Bondi's reelection campaign showed up. Bondi ended up not suing Trump after all, even though she had plenty of reason to do so. Florida had received complaints about Trump's series of real estate seminars, and a class-action lawsuit on behalf of students in the state is currently in progress in federal court in New York."
Bondi has also been an ardent opponent of marriage equality, "the most visible supporter" of Florida's gay marriage ban.
Orlando Sentinel: "Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi on Monday filed an emergency appeal with the U.S. Supreme Court in an attempt to keep gay marriages from starting in Florida in three weeks.
"If the court rules in her favor, same-sex couples would be blocked from getting marriage licenses in Florida. Also, the state would not be required to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states."
Tampa Bay Tribune: "As history unfolded this week, with hundreds of gay couples marrying across Florida for the first time, the most crucial player in the long-running legal drama was missing from action. Attorney General Pam Bondi, who has become the most visible supporter of the gay rights ban, dropped out of public view for much of the week, barring reporters from one inaugural celebration while skipping another event where they awaited her."
Orlando Sun-Sentinel: "'You've basically gone after gay people, [you've said] in court that gay people, simply by fighting for marriage equality, were trying to do harm to the people of Florida,' Cooper said. ''To induce public harm' was the phrase I believe you used in court.' 'When I was sworn in as attorney general, I put my hand on a bible and was sworn to uphold the constitution of the state of Florida,' Bondi said. 'That's not a law, it was voted into our constitution by the voters of Florida. That's what I was defending.'"
REMINDER: Trump has repeatedly threatened violence against his political opponents, vowed to go after the "enemy from within," and pledged to be a dictator on "day one" of his new administration.
Trump: "I think the bigger problem is the enemy from within … totally destroying our country … [I]n terms of Election Day, I think the bigger problem are the people from within. We have some very bad people. We have some sick people, radical left lunatics. And I think they're the big - and it should be very easily handled by, if necessary, by [the] National Guard, or if really necessary, by the military, because they can't let that happen."
Edward-Isaac Dovere, CNN: "Many people have lost American presidential elections over the last 230 years - Trump is the only one to say about violence if he loses 'it depends.'"
The Atlantic: "Trump Says He'll Be a Dictator on 'Day One'"
Associated Press: "Trump declines to rule out abusing power to seek retribution if he returns to the White House"
Washington Post: "Trump calls political enemies 'vermin,' echoing dictators Hitler, Mussolini"
The Guardian: "Donald Trump says he will lock up his political enemies if he is president again."
CNN: "Trump says 'war hawk' Liz Cheney should be fired upon in escalation of violent rhetoric against his opponents"
Trump: "Somebody would have to shoot through the fake news. And I don't mind that."