Hours before heading to a Donald Trump political rally on the outskirts of the state capital, Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi said Tuesday she remains firmly in the Republican presidential candidate’s corner despite some of his controversial remarks.
Bondi, a two-term Cabinet member who was the first statewide Florida politician to endorse Trump, said she has already voted for the New York businessman, who is a part-time Florida resident at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach.
Although Bondi has condemned Trump’s lewd remarks about women recorded by an “Access Hollywood” TV crew in 2005, Bondi said she believes Trump will be a good role model for the nation.
“I know Donald Trump. I have seen him evolve in the last 14 months,” Bondi said. “I think he will be an excellent role model. I know he has raised wonderful kids.
“I know two of his kids personally, Donald and Ivanka. I know he has raised great, hard-working kids.”
Bondi was engulfed earlier in the campaign in a controversy about a $25,000 donation Trump made to her political committee and whether that influenced her office in 2013 to dismiss allegations that Floridians had been bilked by Trump University. Bondi has adamantly denied a connection between the contribution and her office’s handling of the Trump University issue.
While talking with reporters Tuesday, Bondi said Trump would be “an excellent president.” She added: “I hope either candidate would be a good role model.”
But Bondi took exception to Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton’s conduct in a 1980s interview about representing a man who had been accused of raping a 12-year-old. Clinton, working for a legal aid clinic at the University of Arkansas, was appointed to represent the defendant in a 1975 case.
In the interview, Clinton is heard laughing as she recounts some of the details of the case, in which the prosecution lost key evidence and had to reach a plea agreement with the defendant, who passed a polygraph.
During their second debate in the presidential campaign, Trump accused Clinton of laughing at the 12-year-old, which was not true. Nonetheless, Bondi said she did not like Clinton’s reaction in the recorded interview, which was first reported by the conservative Washington Free Beacon in 2014.
“I cannot get over the comments regarding the 12-year-old who was raped,” Bondi said. “Not mocking the 12-year-old but laughing at acquitting someone who passed a lie detector who she didn’t believe. I have a very, very difficult time with that.”
Bondi also said she strongly supported Trump’s call for a more-secure national border, with the candidate promising to build a wall between the United States and Mexico and have Mexico pay for it.
“I have fought against drugs. I believe in securing our borders because right now we are seeing in an influx of cocaine and heroin coming into our country,” Bondi said. “That is so important to me.”
Bondi also backed Trump’s promise, if elected, to appoint a special prosecutor to renew the investigation into Clinton’s use of a private email server when she was the secretary of state. The case was closed on the recommendation of the director of the FBI, James Comey.
Bondi, who was a state prosecutor in Tampa before her election to the Cabinet in 2010, said she has discussed the issue with former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, a top Trump supporter and a former federal prosecutor.
“We both have very, very serious concerns about things she has said and done that very well could be illegal,” Bondi said.
Bondi said the “election has gotten ugly on both sides.”
“We can all disagree philosophically,” Bondi said. “But ultimately, hopefully within less than 15 days from now, this election is going to be decided.
“Will I accept the election results? Absolutely. Will I support our president whoever that might be? Absolutely. Did I vote for Donald Trump? Absolutely.”
–Lloyd Dunkleberger, News Service of Florida
Mike says
I’m right there with you Bondi! I definitely support his harassment of women (especially ones with fat faces like Rosie O’ Donnell), people with physical handicaps, blacks, Muslims, and Mexicans. We need to make America great again with an isolationist wall around our borders, and friendlier relations with a KGB-styled Russian oligarchy.
We need to have more jobs exported to the same countries we bad-mouth and claim bankruptcy with our empty and impossible promises.
Lastly, we need to celebrate our definite and decisive victory (besides, Trump is ahead of the polls, no?) with our Trump college degree, with our Trump Steaks and Trump orange infusion skin-glo cream. And if we somehow lose?! Well, it was rigged all the while!
I cannot name a better role model than our future president Mr. Donald Trump.
rst says
We deserve EXACTLY whom we vote for…
Lanie says
Hey Pam, Google Kathleen Kane. You could be next!
Kim says
Role model? Really?
American Veteran says
Would she mind if the Donald grabs her p***y?
Marlee says
Ohhhhh, HE raised his kids????
What a joke!
Donald Trump's Tiny Fingers says
Eagerly looking forward to the upcoming bribery investigation. Here’s hoping you serve some time in federal prison, Pam.
footballen says
Bondi also backed Trump’s promise, if elected, to appoint a special prosecutor to renew the investigation into Clinton’s use of a private email server when she was the secretary of state. The case was closed on the recommendation of the director of the FBI, James Comey.
This flat out has to happen. There are a ton of investigations that need to happen concerning the crooked Clintons.
Robjr says
Did the 25 grand that Mr Make America White Again gave to her campaign also give him the implied consent to grab her by her ……….?
Marlee says
…and….crooked Trump!
Mondexian Mama says
There are so many reasons why Trump shouldn’t president,but I’ll limit it to two. First he said “if she weren’t my daughter I’d be dating her” and then in a Beavis and Butthead moment,Howard Stern said to him “your daughter is a piece of ass” to which Trump gave a snarky giggle and said yeah. This man does not need to be POTUS,he needs to be in a padded cell.
The only good thing to come out of his campaign are his bumper stickers. They make it a lot easier to identify the assholes. And one more thing Trump Chumps:AMERICA IS GREAT.
Common Sense says
She has seen him evolve? After all his lies? His offensive remarks? His serial cheating? His bankruptcies? His absolute ignorance about foreign policy?
His remarks about not accepting election results are typical of the wing nuts. Eight congtessional hearing find nothing improper with Secy. Clinton’s actions in Benghazi but they want more hearings. They can’t accept that there was nothing to charge her with. The FBI investigates and finds nothing. The FBI must be corrupt. The polls show Secy. Clinton ahead, they must rigged.Trump makes offensive statements, it is the fault of the liberal media. It is always someone else’s fault.
Uncle Fred says
This country is so “screwed”. Neither one of these corrupt idiots will help America. As soon as the witch gets in start hiding your guns off your property. Hoard as much precious metals and booze as you can. And prepare for Immigrant Armageddon . The USA will collapse within the next 8 years. If not invaded first by Russia or China. Or possibly from within after the New Revolution starts up. Good Luck fellow Americans, and may GOD have mercy on your souls.
Geezer says
“Pam Bondage” would be a more fitting name.
Knightwatch says
Annnd, this is what serves as our attorney general. Yep, she’s a role model herself… for a disgraced professional Republican.
America is Great, Already! says
Ok, early voting has started. Let’s stop the reality show and leave the work to the experienced candidate. We will save the country in spite of all of the people that just don’t care that Trump is lying, that Trump is a racist, that Trump has no plan. Not only are those the facts, he’s just not Presidential and is a horrible figure for us to have in front of the world. He is not a world leader and we just plain need to be better than this piece of trash. Also, Uncle Fred, no one is coming for your guns, relax. Now, if you have automatic assault rifles and are planning an attack somewhere, please hand them over. As far as immigrant Armageddon, I take it you are Native American? Otherwise, how did you get here?
Termites says
Well NOW I’m sold on the Bigot Train…I mean Misogynist Train…I mean Go Team Orange Billionaire! I’m not pro-Hillary but all of this “she’s a liar” bit when all he does is lie cracks me up to no end. Every day it’s a new fabrication. A new story. Some new conspiracy. For example, saying he paid for Ryan White’s HIV treatment when he didn’t (I would think Ryan’s own mother would know who paid for his medication). They are both liars…welcome to the world people. They are both associated with unsavory people. They have both done awful, terrible things to get to the top. To be a business man means you have to be a great politician and politics, sadly, is ugly and this is the ugliest campaign I’ve ever seen. Is it over yet?
Back to Pam…as if she or her opinions matter. She is a woman hating, LGBT hating, waste of space.
Anonymous says
Trump is the best choice. I would much rather have a president that has proven to be successful and not lied to us in a government position time and time again and has risked our national security and used our country to fill her pockets with millions from foreign donors, some being our enemies like Clinton has. VOTE TRUMP!!
DaveT says
Bondi liked getting groped by Trump but Bill Clinton was the King of gropers and using his position for those sexual favors from so many women, even as president which Hillary appears to support.
CLS says
Kick this corrupt person out of office. Trump bought her off big time. We need to stomp out all corrupt politicians like Bondi.
CLS says
Trump is a nazi, a meglomaniac ONLY interested in himself and getting richer. If he is given the most powerful position in the world he will strip ALL of us of our wealth or whatever we have left, and will take us back to the days of Hitler and even before that. His words and mannerisms are so similar to Hitler’s when he was rising to power it is scary. And those who have been brainwashed by this fake, lawsuit-wealthy (that’s HOW he has any wealth at all) scam artist deserve what they get. ugh
palmcoaster says
God protect us all from Trumpmania and his bigot supporters!
Uncle Fred says
Ok….America is Great , Already……..which one is the experienced candidate ? Hell, was Obama ? Was Bush ? Trump lies…YES…Hillary lies YES…FBI lies YES…Media lies YES. And let’s not get into who actually had people “exterminated” because they threatened her politics..oops !! Oh and there are NO automatic assault weapons on the streets of America ..yet. Once again, if your talking about the mean looking black rifles that shoot 1 round per trigger pull then they WILL stay legal unless you want a WAR on your hands from the 30 million gun owners that harm NO ONE. And am I an American Native. NO but I was BORN in America not brought here by the government to fill quotas…..
Obama 2016 says
A vote for Trump is a vote for Putin, I will keep America great and go with a Clinton instead
At least I’ve seen her taxes, and most of her emails.
orangeatan says
Glad to see those Hillary supporters finally speaking up! He’s a scumbag, plain and simple! Smoke and mirrors, and the rednecks and racists just eat it up!
Sw says
Just a bimbo with an audience. She only knows what shes told or hears. Blund to reality you are bimbo Pam.How much $$ you gonna waste on this election….
Sw says
Just a bimbo with an audience. She only knows what shes told or hears. Blund to reality you are a bimbo Pam.How much $$ you gonna waste on this election….thats right the Donald will buy you again
Flatsflyer says
Doesn’t her picture appear next to the definition of corruption in Webster’s Dictioary Twice divorced and living with a guy who refuses to pay Court Order Child Support, and she is discussing Role Models, give me a break. I can’t help but wonder if she obtained her Law Degree was from Trump University?
greenbean says
Wow! Glad to see so many people agreeing on one subject, must be near the first of the month and the Hillary supporters are waiting on those checks us “Trumpers” supply. Remember Bengazi? People died and Hillary LIED!
Geezer says
Bill Clinton is going to be First Lady!
Aimee says
22 million e-mails deleted by Bush… Crickets. Donald Drumpf child rape case….Crickets. Millions of poor people get health care…Crickets. Republicans refuse to fund Embassy Security….Bengazi! Go vote all you DEPLORABLES! Don’t get too upset when Drumpf gropes ypur pussy!