Washington Post (editorial)
... [G]iven Mr. Trump’s bragging that he regularly bought politicians to serve his own ends, it seems unlikely he gave to Ms. Bondi for principled reasons. Even if Ms. Bondi did not know she was being bought, it is a good bet that was Mr. Trump’s intention. Either way, Ms. Bondi’s office abandoned desperate people who claim they were scammed by Trump-associated educational companies. After that — and a fancy, Trump-subsidized gala at Mr. Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort — she became an early surrogate for Mr. Trump during this presidential race.
At the very least, the news should remind voters of two of the many disqualifying elements of Mr. Trump’s record. First is the scandal of Trump University and the Trump Institute, sleazy operations that took thousands of dollars from poor, uneducated and credulous people who thought they would learn the secrets of the real estate business. Many report getting little to nothing for their money. This is among the pieces of evidence suggesting that Mr. Trump is not a brilliant businessman but a shameless hustler.Major Florida newspapers are calling for a Federal investigation:
Tampa Bay Times (editorial)
Federal prosecutors should investigate whether there is any connection between the decision by Attorney General Pam Bondi's office not to pursue fraud allegations against Trump University and a $25,000 campaign contribution he gave her. Since Florida prosecutors will not touch this mess, the Justice Department is the only option. The appearance of something more than a coincidence is too serious and the unresolved questions are too numerous to accept blanket denials by Bondi and Trump without more digging and an independent review.Sun Sentinel (editorial)
An independent federal investigation is needed to determine if his foundation's $25,000 gift was innocent and aboveboard — or had the effect of keeping the attorney general from joining an investigation of Trump University.
The timing is certainly curious, with the contribution arriving just three days after Bondi's office said it was considering whether to join a class-action lawsuit against Trump University, an education company that promised to turn students into successful real estate investors, but left many empty-handed. Bondi's office decided not to join the suit.
The donation from the candidate's foundation also violated tax rules governing nonprofit organizations. As a result, the GOP presidential nominee recently paid the IRS a pocket-change fine of $2,500.Earlier, the Miami Herald editorialized about the coverage of this scandal compared with the coverage of the Clinton Foundation non-scandal:
It may all be completely innocent. What is puzzling, given the blanket coverage of the Clinton Foundation, is why the report of a foundation linked to a presidential nominee giving money to an attorney general weighing an investigation of an alleged scam involving the nominee should not get equal billing.
Unlike the faux scandal over the Clinton institution, there were actual victims here — people who paid good money to Trump University and feel they were duped. Why is Pam Bondi not investigating that?That's the $25,000 question.
The fact that this, at long last, is resonating with some editorial boards doesn't mean that the vast majority of the political reporting out there is honest. Both in the aforementioned Post, the New York effing Times, and most broadcast and cable news programs, the focus continues to be on massaging the crap fed to them by right- wing ratf*ckers in order to flog their established Hillary Clinton narrative (not "trustworthy," "not likable," "cloud of suspicion," "perceptions," "questions remaining," etc.). At least one journalist sees it all clearly and is not pulling any punches:
Im a reporter. Have been for 30 years. Ive worked at several top publications & news networks in the world.— Kurt Eichenwald (@kurteichenwald) September 7, 2016
I am ashamed of my profession.
