Investigation of Fired Foreclosure Attorneys: Bondi Says Bring It

Pam Bondi isn't hiding and she's apparently unafraid of the truth.

That was fairly obvious after Tuesday's Cabinet meeting when the Florida attorney general announced she will appoint an inspector general to investigate her dismissal of two foreclosure attorneys in the AG's Broward County office.

Bondi has been under the gun since a July 13 Palm Beach Post story revealed that she fired June Clarkson and Theresa Edwards. Clarkson and Edwards are the attorneys whose work turned up evidence of foreclosure fraud against two banks that made donations to Bondi's 2010 election campaign.

Bondi swore the firings were not political, that they were based on poor performance. But, she said after Tuesday's Cabinet meeting, "Because people are making unfounded allegations, I am requesting an outside IG review ... and I do have questions as to documentation (in the employees' files)."

Rep. Darren Soto, D-Orlando, was among the first to jump to Edwards' and Clarkson's aid and call for an investigation. On Tuesday he issued this statement: Attorney General Pam Bondis admission today that there should be an investigation into her termination of two attorneys who have led foreclosure fraud investigations is a slow-coming acknowledgment and a step in the right direction. But I believe a truly independent investigation is warranted, which may require a review by authorities outside Florida.

Accordingly, I am considering calling on federal officials, possibly Senator Nelson and the U.S. Department of Justice, for assistance in ensuring that a thorough and truly independent probe is made into these suspicious dismissals."

Bondi's announcement Tuesday is a clear indication that she wants to step over Soto's campaign to find wrongdoing in her actions -- get the case out in the open and then move on. And who can blame her? She believes she has the best attorney general's office in the country. It's showtime.
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