Fla. Attorney General Tried to Return Trump Foundation Donation

Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi sought in March to return a $25,000 contribution from the Donald J. Trump Foundation to a political-action committee she leads after becoming aware it might violate restrictions on election activity by charities, The Florida Times Union writes. The foundation refused the refund, saying Mr. Trump had written a personal check to his charity to cover the September 2013 donation, according to Nancy Watkins, treasurer of Ms. Bondi’s And Justice for All PAC.

The Associated Press reported Monday that Ms. Bondi had solicited the contribution, which arrived as she was weighing whether to join a New York state investigation of Trump University. She ultimately decided not to pursue the case, saying there were insufficient grounds.

A consultant who worked on Ms. Bondi’s 2014 campaign said she was unaware at the time of the donation that the previous attorney general had received complaints about the Trump-branded real-estate seminars. The 2013 contribution drew scrutiny in March after Ms. Bondi, a Republican, endorsed Mr. Trump for president. Charities such aundations the Trump Foundation are legally barred from engaging directly in political activity.