Bloggytown

Attorney General Pam Bondi to lead Republican Attorneys General Association

November 17, 2014 at 2:00 PM

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Last week, we posted a video in which Florida's Attorney General Pam Bondi insisted repeatedly that her super-cozy relationship with lobbyists and her acceptance of travel and gifts from the Republican Attorneys General Association (which receives funds from corporations that would love to have the ears of any Republican attorneys general who will listen) has no bearing on her job. None. Not even a little.

“No access to me, nor my staff will ever influence what we do,” she told reporters in a video posted by the News Service of Florida.

But she didn't say that she would restrict access to herself or her staff, nor did she indicate that she'd make any moves to address concerns that her relationship with the Republican Attorneys General Association is maybe a little too tight. Not even to reduce the image of impropriety.

Instead, she did just the opposite. This weekend, and the organization's meeting in Miami Beach, she accepted the position of chair of the executive committee. Now, not only does she accept gifts, money, vacations and funds from an organization that wants to curry favor with politicians just like her – she leads one!

“It is an honor to be selected by my fellow Republican Attorneys General to lead RAGA at such a critical time in our country’s history," she was quoted in a statement released by the Republican Attorneys General Association. "We will continue to stand up for the rule of law and protect the citizens of our states."

This comes just weeks after the Tampa Bay Times revealed that Bondi has gone out of her way to support issues that RAGA wants its members to support, even on issues outside of the state of Florida, and the New York Times wrote about how the group helped fund Bondi's re-election campaign (which she won, handily).

RAGA reminds everyone that what they're doing is completely legal:

"Like all national political organizations, RAGA pays for expenses for its member attorneys general that attend meetings to help with national fundraising," Jessica Medeiros Garrison, RAGA executive director said in an email the News Service of Florida received last week. "RAGA does this in full compliance with federal and state laws that regulate fundraising and political activity for RAGA and its member attorneys general."

And Bondi reminds everyone that they should just move along. There's nothing to see here:

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Bloggytown Pam Bondi election 2014 news service of florida republican attorneys general association ethics Video

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