Brad Bondi, the brother of Trump’s Attorney General Pam Bondi, was soundly defeated in his run to lead the D.C. Bar Association, losing in a landslide during the group’s most highly attended election ever.
Bondi, a top lawyer at Paul Hastings who has represented Elon Musk, Trump Media & Technology Group, and others, pulled in just 3,490 votes — a mere 9.1 percent. His opponent, employment attorney Diane Seltzer, won in a blowout with 34,982 votes, or 90.9 percent.
Seltzer, who was backed by nearly two dozen past D.C. Bar presidents, will start as president-elect on July 1, and take over as president in 2026.
The D.C. Bar doesn’t handle lawyer discipline cases, but Bondi’s candidacy raised red flags for many in the legal community. With his ties to former President Trump and other political clients, critics worried this was an attempt to pull the Bar into partisan fights.
Bondi pushed back, saying in a statement, “The D.C. Bar is not, and must not become, a political organization.” He said his campaign focused on boosting member participation and updating the group’s technology. “I will fight vigorously against any attempts externally or internally to change that,” he added.
The defeat wasn’t isolated. Alicia Long, a senior aide to interim U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, also lost her race for treasurer. Long earned 8,854 votes (25.1 percent), while cybersecurity lawyer Amanda Molina won with 26,380 votes (74.9 percent).
In total, more than 38,000 members voted — smashing past records. For comparison, the average over the last 50 years was about 7,400 ballots cast.
D.C. Bar CEO Robert Spagnoletti called the turnout “extraordinary” and said the Bar remains “apolitical.”
“Dozens of D.C. Bar members put themselves forward for leadership positions during the call for nominations,” he said, praising the slate of candidates as well-qualified.
Despite big names and high-profile endorsements, voters sent a clear message — and Bondi’s name recognition wasn’t enough to win them over.
