Brad Bondi, brother of Attorney General Pam Bondi, faced a staggering defeat in his bid to lead the D.C. Bar Association, securing just 9.1 percent of votes in an election that saw unprecedented participation. The race garnered national attention amid concerns about potential Trump administration influence over the legal organization.
According to The Hill, Bondi received only 3,490 votes compared to employment lawyer Diane Seltzer's overwhelming 34,982 votes, representing 90.9 percent of ballots cast. The election drew a record turnout with over 38,646 votes cast, far exceeding the historical average of 7,444 ballots over the past 50 years.
Critics of President Trump had expressed alarm about what they perceived as an attempted takeover of the influential legal organization by administration allies, highlighting escalating tensions between the White House and the legal profession.
The D.C. Bar Association, the largest unified bar in the country with approximately 121,000 members, experienced what its CEO Robert Spagnoletti described as "extraordinary" engagement in this election. The 43.26 percent voter participation rate marked a dramatic increase from typical elections.
Spagnoletti emphasized the "apolitical" nature of the organization during a press call Monday afternoon while acknowledging the exceptional level of member involvement. The unprecedented turnout suggests widespread concern among members about the direction of the organization.
The election results come at a time when relationships between the Trump administration and the legal community have reached what some describe as "stratospheric" levels of tension, though Bondi had previously pledged to maintain the association's nonpartisan status.
Following his defeat, Bondi issued a statement expressing both gratitude and significant concerns about how the election unfolded. The white-collar defense attorney, who has represented high-profile clients including Elon Musk and Trump Media & Technology Group, blamed partisan politics for transforming the race.
Bondi claimed the campaign devolved into "baseless attacks, identity politics, and partisan recrimination" rather than focusing on substantive ideas for improving the organization. He specifically mentioned suggestions like enhancing the ethics hotline and expanding pro bono programs.
In his statement to The Hill, Bondi expressed disgust with how the election unfolded: "I am disgusted by how rabid partisans lurched this election into the political gutter, turning a professional campaign into baseless attacks, identity politics, and partisan recrimination. Smearing me over my family and peddling conspiracies about my intentions is not just an assault on my integrity but on the D.C. Bar's very mission."
The election results revealed a broader pattern of rejection for candidates perceived as aligned with the Trump administration. Alicia Long, a top deputy to interim U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, also lost her bid for treasurer by a significant margin.
Long received just 8,854 votes, representing 25.1 percent of ballots cast in that race. Her opponent, cybersecurity lawyer Amanda Molina, secured a decisive victory with 26,380 votes, or 74.9 percent of the total.
The parallel defeats suggest a coordinated response from D.C. Bar members against candidates perceived as having close ties to the Trump administration. Despite assertions from Bondi and other candidates that they would maintain the organization's nonpartisan tradition, voters overwhelmingly chose alternatives.
Brad Bondi's overwhelming defeat in the D.C. Bar Association presidential election represents a significant rebuke from the legal community amid heightened political tensions. The brother of Attorney General Pam Bondi secured just 9.1 percent of votes against employment lawyer Diane Seltzer's 90.9 percent in a contest that drew unprecedented participation.
The record-setting voter turnout—with over 38,000 ballots cast compared to the historical average of about 7,400—underscores the legal community's intense interest in this election. Many observers interpreted the results as a direct response to concerns about potential Trump administration influence over the bar association.
Seltzer, who was endorsed by nearly two dozen former D.C. Bar Association presidents, will begin her term as president-elect next month and assume the presidency on July 1, 2026, after members delivered what appears to be a clear mandate against candidates with ties to the current administration.
