Political accountability group American Democracy Legal Fund (ADLF) filed a complaint with the Justice Department this week alleging that Donald Trump cut a deal with Ben Carson in exchange for the retired neurosurgeon's endorsement. "It has recently come to light that Mr. Donald Trump may have willfully offered Dr. Ben Carson an appointment to his administration should he become president in return for supporting his candidacy in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 599," says the letter, written by ADLF head Brad Woodhouse. "ADLF respectfully requests that you investigate this matter and take all appropriate action as soon as possible."
The letter cites comments Carson made in an interview with Newsmax TV three days after announcing his endorsement as evidence of a potential quid pro quo deal. In the interview, Carson said Trump was going to "surround himself with very good people," declining to go into detail "because all of this is still very liquid."
Carson has dismissed rumors of such a deal as "ridiculous."
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