Members of the D.C. Bar Association have overwhelmingly rejected the efforts of Brad Bondi, brother of Attorney General Pam Bondi, to lead one of the largest and most influential bar associations in the country.
Brad Bondi’s blowout loss comes as the Trump administration continues its crackdown on the legal system.
On Monday, the group announced its members had chosen attorney Diane Seltzer as its next president. Seltzer secured 90.9% of the vote to Brad Bondi’s 9.1%. This year’s elections marked a record voter turnout, according to the organization, with almost 37,000 members casting their ballots as of June 3 — more than 41% of all eligible voters. That’s a significant jump from last year, which boasted just more than 8% turnout.
Brad Bondi, a partner at the white-collar criminal defense firm Paul Hastings, had previously represented the Trump Media & Technology Group and one-time Trump advisor Elon Musk.
His blowout loss comes as the Trump administration continues an aggressive push against the legal system. Since retaking the White House, President Donald Trump has sought to take away security clearances from law firms that worked with his political opponents, harshly criticized federal judges who have ruled against his agenda and fired career lawyers at federal agencies across the government.
The race became the subject of national attention after Brad Bondi threw his hat into the ring in March. While he pledged to protect the D.C. Bar from being politicized, some critics feared his close ties to Trump could transform the nonpartisan body into a tool of retribution for the administration.
While the general public may not pay much attention to bar associations, lawyers do. The nongovernmental groups decide who gets to be a lawyer — and who gets to stay a lawyer when misconduct allegations are involved. The D.C. Bar … has more than 120,000 members, and, by virtue of its location, it is where a significant number of federal attorneys are licensed.
In a statement, Seltzer said her election means “we have a Bar full of lawyers who care about making sure their leadership reflects their values, which are maintaining the rule of law, being able to practice law without fear of retaliation, and having a leader who is experienced and has the qualifications to be in that position.”
Seltzer’s term will begin July 1.
Brad Bondi wasn’t the only Trump ally to prove unsuccessful Monday. Alicia Long, who worked closely with Ed Martin, former interim U.S. attorney in Washington, D.C., lost her bid for treasurer to Amanda Molina.
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