House Democrats are calling on the Justice Department to investigate donations made by the Donald Trump Foundation to the re-election campaign for Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi.
The $25,000 donation was made in 2013 as the top Florida prosecutor’s office was reviewing whether to open a fraud investigation into Trump University. Ms. Bondi’s office did not ultimately end up opening an investigation.
Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee, in a letter sent Tuesday to Attorney General Loretta Lynch, urged a probe of the donation from the Republican presidential candidate citing anti-bribery statutes.
“This fact pattern indicates that these payments may have influenced Mrs. Bondi’s official decision not to participate in litigation against Mr. Trump,” wrote Democrats, who were led by ranking committee member John Conyers of Michigan.
The Trump campaign has previously denied any wrongdoing and downplayed “pay to play” allegations.
Mr. Trump did have to pay a $2,500 fine this year after the IRS found his foundation violated tax law by contributing to the political group.
Charities are prohibited under federal rules from donating to political candidates. The Trump foundation also incorrectly reported on its tax return that the money went to an unrelated charity in Kansas with a similar name as Ms. Bondi’s campaign group.
The request by Democrats comes the same day that Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington also wrote to the Justice Department and the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida requesting an investigation. Beyond the donation, the watchdog organization also points to a 2014 fundraiser that Ms. Bondi held at a private club owned by Mr. Trump.
“The $4,855 charged to use the club, however, appears to have been well below the market rate, and may have been a reward for Attorney General Bondi,” the CREW complaint states.
• Andrea Noble can be reached at anoble@washingtontimes.com.
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