Archive for the ‘Attorney General News’ Category

New Governor Tom Corbett is hopeful his pick to replace him as Attorney General is quickly confirmed.

From WDUQNews:

Governor Tom Corbett has tapped an Assistant United States Attorney from Allegheny County to replace him as Attorney General for Pennsylvania.

Corbett has known Linda Kelly since 1976, when they served together as assistant district attorneys.
Kelly graduated from the University of Pittsburgh and Duquesne University School of Law, and has been at the US Attorney’s office since 1980.

“I have, I would say, extensive trial experience, where I’ve tried cases from the most mundane to the most serious. So my experience runs from someone being in the trenches.”

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From SeattlePI:

Chris Gregoire served three terms as AG before winning the governor’s office in 2004. Slade Gorton gained national recognition in the job, especially in arguing cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, before challenging and defeating longtime Democratic Sen. Warren Magnuson in 1980.

Others in the AG’s office – e.g. Republican Ken Eikenberry and Democrat John O’Connell – lost races for governor.

Ferguson is a former state chess champion. He has made numerous backstage moves to line up Democrats’ support and is expected to deliver a list of prominent endorsers when he announces.

In 2005, after wiping out Ferguson’s seat, several Courthouse insiders toasted their cleverness at the New Orleans Cafe in Pioneer Square. Ferguson took note, and picked the New Orleans Cafe for his victory celebration after unseating Edmonds.

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From hollandsentinel.com:

Newly elected Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette today announced a renewal of Michigan’s constitutional challenge to the federal health care law.

Schuette filed paperwork in the U.S. District Court in Florida, joining 20 other states and the National Federation of Independent Business in the lawsuit.

NFIB Michigan State Director Charles Owens praised Schuette’s decision to continue the legal challenge, started by former AG Mike Cox.

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From the Southeast Texas Record:

Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott on Monday formally began his third term as the State’s chief legal officer and top law enforcement official.

Chief Justice Wallace Jefferson administered the oath of office during a ceremony performed at the Attorney General’s Office in the presence of agency employees. U.S. Senator and former Texas Attorney General John Cornyn delivered remarks at Abbott’s inaugural ceremony today.

After swearing to defend the laws and constitution of the State of Texas, Attorney General Abbott renewed his commitment to tough law enforcement and thanked agency employees for their service to Texas citizens.

“Thanks to the hard work and dedication of the talented men and women who serve the Texas Attorney General’s Office, we achieved some remarkable accomplishments over the last eight years,” Attorney General Abbott said.

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Louis Jacobson gives us his outlook on the all important Attorney General races.

From Governing.com:

Following Republican gains in 2010, the partisan breakdown of the nation’s attorney general offices is closer than it has been at any time in recent memory. Now, as the 2011-2012 election cycle gets under way, a majority of the 13 contests to be held over the next two years look like they will be competitive.

The campaign season isn’t fully under way yet. In fact, in many cases, the list of challengers is still a matter of speculation. As a result, these ratings only offer a baseline assessment.

That said, Governing is placing six of the 13 races to be held over the next two years in the tossup category. They include four Democratic-held seats (Kentucky, Mississippi, Montana and West Virginia) and two Republican-held seats (Pennsylvania and Washington state).

We rate three other contests in the slightly less competitive lean Democratic category — Louisiana, Missouri and North Carolina. These three states all have Democratic AGs at present.

The four remaining contests in 2011-12 are looking strong for the incumbent party — Utah and Indiana for the Republicans, Oregon and Vermont for the Democrats. So the nine races rated tossup or lean Democratic could tip the overall balance of AG seats between the two parties.

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New Florida Republican Attorney General Pam Bondi has a column in the Wall Street Journal on the states fight against ObamaCare.

From the Wall Street Journal:

This week begins the inauguration and swearing-in ceremonies for newly elected officials all over the country. One thing many of us have in common is that the voters rewarded us for our outspoken opposition to ObamaCare.

The electorate’s decisive rejection of the Obama administration’s policies reveals a pervasive concern over the federal government’s disregard of fundamental aspects of our nation’s Constitution. No legislation in our history alters the balance of power between Washington and the states so much as ObamaCare does.

The tactics used to pass the health-care bill gave all Americans ample warning of the constitutional wrongdoing that was about to occur. Concerns were raised in the summer of 2009 over the constitutionality of the individual mandate and other portions of the bill, yet the president and Congress proceeded full-steam ahead. In the Senate, the much-ridiculed “Cornhusker Kickback” gave Nebraska an all-expenses-paid Medicaid expansion program. Due to public pressure, the provision was eventually removed from the final law.

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From The Republic:

Madisonville lawyer Todd P’Pool said Monday he has put up $250,000 of his own money to help finance his run for Kentucky attorney general.

P’Pool said the “personal investment” in the race brings the total banked in the past three weeks to $270,000, flashing financial muscle to other potential GOP contenders and signaling to voters that he is a serious candidate.

“I entered this race with no delusions,” P’Pool said in a statement. “It will not be easy.”

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From East Valley Tribune:

The state’s new attorney general promised Monday to do what his predecessor would not: enforce Arizona’s new law aimed at illegal immigrants.

In his inaugural speech, Republican Tom Horne said that makes him different than Democrat Terry Goddard, whom he is replacing. Goddard, unable to seek a third term as attorney general, instead waged an unsuccessful bid for governor.

Horne and the state’s other top officers were sworn in Monday during ceremonies at the capitol.

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From MiamiHerald.com:

New hires and changes in the structure of the attorney general’s office have set the stage for Pam Bondi’s tenure as the first woman to serve as Florida’s chief legal officer.

Bondi said she will likely push for legislation to tighten Florida’s regulation of pain clinics. BP oil spill claims, Medicaid fraud and gangs will also be areas of emphasis, she said.

Most significant: On Friday, Bondi named former state Sen. Dave Aronberg, D-Greenacres, to a new post focusing on prescription pill abuse.

“He’s very familiar with this issue. He cares very deeply about this issue,” Bondi, a Republican, said of Aronberg, who lost the Democratic primary for attorney general.

The fact that he’s a Democrat, she said, doesn’t matter.

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