Who is Pam Bondi? Florida ex-AG replaces Corey Lewandowski as Trump's Super PAC head
Donald Trump has swiftly moved to replace scandal-hit Corey Lewandowski, who stepped down as the head of the super-PAC MAGA Action. Just a day after Lewandowski was named in a report alleging he made unwanted sexual advances, he was booted from his role and replaced with Pam Bondi, the former Attorney General of Florida. The shift was confirmed on September 29 by Taylor Budowich, the Trump spokesman.
Lewandowski isn't the first Trump-loyalist to run into trouble, as we have recorded. Ever since the end of his presidency, many Trump supporters have been publicly named and shamed for sexual offenses. In early August, Anton Lazzaro was arrested for underage sex trafficking in Minneapolis. Over the past several months, Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz has also been embroiled in a sex scandal, with wild rumors and theories floating on social media since a formal indictment is yet to be made.
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With so many names in Trump's orbit tied to criminal investigations or legal woes, it isn't very surprising the former president is quickly attempting to distance himself. He's reportedly abandoned Rudy Guiliani, once a close friend. Now, it appears he has cut off Lewandowski in favor of loyalist Bondi, who made headlines for defending Trump during his first impeachment. That's not all Bondi is known for.
Who is Pam Bondi?
A native of Temple Terrace, Florida, Bondi's father once served as the town's Mayor. After graduating from high school in Tampa, she obtained a degree in criminal justice from the University of Florida, and later a JD from Stetson Law School. In 1991, she was admitted to the Florida bar. She then began a nearly two-decade-long career in law, working as a prosecutor in Hillsborough County.
During that time, she was involved in several high-profile murder cases such as that of Melvin Givens and Adam Davis. Bondi also became a regular on Fox News as a part-time legal expert. Interestingly, she was also a registered Democrat till 2000, before making a switch that would define her career. In 2010, she became Florida's first-ever woman AG, after defeating Democratic State Senator Dan Gelber. It was here she really made a name for herself as a staunch conservative.
As AG, Bondi fought against Obamacare, leading a 27 state challenge that was ultimately quashed by the Supreme Court. She also opposed same-sex marriage and LGBTQ rights. But perhaps her biggest controversy came in 2018, while she was AG. Bondi co-hosted 'The Five' on Fox News for three consecutive days, prompting calls it was a violation of the Florida Code of Ethics. Despite the uproar, she got away without repercussions.
Lobbylist, lawyer and loyalist
In 2013, Trump made a $25,000 donation to Bondi's re-election efforts and days later she dropped an investigation into Trump University. Again, uproar ensured, but both survived and went on to enjoy a long and fruitful relationship. In 2016, she endorsed him for president, becoming the first "big name Republican official in the state" to do so. "Donald and I have been friends for many years," she claimed.
In 2019, after she ended her two terms as AG, Bondi was hired by Ballard Partners, a lobbying firm with close ties to Trump. She reportedly worked on lobbying for Qatar, before being tapped to join his impeachment fight later that year. Bondi was handed a "special government employee" status, allowing her to keep her $115,000-a-month contract with the Embassy of Qatar in Washington while helping the White House. In January 2020, she was officially named to the defense team for the Senate trial.
After making numerous debunked and false allegations at the trial, Bondi continued to enjoy a close relationship with Trump. She went to promote his baseless claims the elections were 2020 elections stolen and argued Trump won Pennsylvania. In December 2020, Trump appointed Bondi as a member of the Kennedy Center Board of Trustees, widely reported to be a "reward" for her loyalty.
Now Trump has tapped Bondi once again, to steer his MAGA Action PAC ahead of the 2022 midterms. Budowich said Bondi "has our complete faith and confidence in taking over MAGA Action." It's unclear if this is a permanent arrangement, but it appears to be. Trump himself hasn't weighed in on the appointment. As a long-time loyalist though, Bondi seems to be the right person to steer Trump's PAC through the contentious midterms. And it helps that she's good friends with many in Trump world, like Tucker Carlson, Lindsay Graham, Ivanka Trump, and Sean Hannity, all of whom she has photos with on Instagram.