Franklin Street, the Tampa-based full-service, commercial real estate brokerage firm, has revealed itself as the new employer of Attorney General Pam Bondi‘s former right-hand man.
The firm announced Monday that Tyler Cathey will be its new chief operating officer and general counsel.
Cathey had been Bondi’s chief deputy and chief of staff for two-and-a-half years. His departure was announced last week by Bondi’s office, which then declined to name the firm.
“I have known Tyler for several years and have come to admire him on both a personal and professional level,” said Franklin Street CEO and Managing Partner Andrew Wright in a press release.
“He not only has the right leadership skills to get the job done, but he is a man of integrity and purpose which are important qualities for our culture,” he added. “I welcome him to the team and look forward to seeing him excel in this new role.”
Cathey said: “I had a remarkable experience working in public service(and) believe it thoroughly prepared me for this next chapter of my career. I look forward to joining the talented team at Franklin Street and helping build on the many successes they have achieved since the launch of the company a decade ago.”
Cathey coincidentally left the AG’s Office as Bondi was taking fire for her part in a $25,000 campaign contribution to her 2014 re-election from a charitable foundation controlled by GOP presumptive nominee Donald Trump.
The gift broke IRS rules because charities are prohibited from giving to campaigns. A Bondi spokesman says Cathey’s job change was “decided in early April,” before the latest round of news about the contribution.
Prior to Bondi, he was a commercial litigator at the Holland & Knight law firm in 2008-11 and at Englander Fischer 2011-13, according to the release. While at Holland & Knight, Cathey also was special counsel to Bondi’s 2010 campaign for Attorney General.
He got his undergraduate degree from Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pennsylvania and a law degree from the University of Florida.
