For Attorney General
Republicans have only one credible candidate: Ashley Moody Sean Shaw is by far the best choice for Democrats
Florida Republicans have found their next Pam Bondi.
Ashley Moody — one of two Republicans running to replace term-limited Attorney General Bondi — is smart, attractive and well-spoken. She’s a former prosecutor who lives in Tampa. And she’s passionate about fighting elder abuse, human trafficking and the opioid epidemic.
And oh, by the way, Moody has Bondi’s whole-hearted endorsement, along with a line of Florida Republican leaders past and present, including former Gov. Bob Martinez, Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera and dozens of sheriffs.
Yet here comes Moody’s flame-throwing opponent, State Rep. Frank White of Pensacola, trying to cast her as a liberal. Hogwash.
Moody is cut from the same conservative cloth as Bondi, one that reflects the values of the Republican base, if not the values of this editorial board.
Like Bondi, Moody supports Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law. She supports Bondi’s lawsuit against Obamacare — though she wants people with pre-existing conditions to still be able to get health care coverage. She also opposes abortion, calls for “securing our borders” and pledges to fight “government overreach into matters of faith.”
Without question, Moody is the best choice in the GOP primary and Republicans should feel confident casting their votes for her on Aug. 28.
Moody, 43, grew up in Plant City. After graduating from the University of Florida law school, she joined the Holland & Knight law firm for a few years, before moving to Jacksonville to become a federal prosecutor. In 2006, she was elected to the circuit court bench in Hillsborough County, where she served 10 years. She’s also the wife of a DEA agent who previously was a cop.
“I felt very moved to offer not only my experience, but my perspective and passion,” Moody said during an interview this week with the editorial board editors of the Sun Sentinel, Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post. “I am the most qualified to do this job.”
Of that, there is no question. Moody also had the courage to sit for an interview with us. Though we found some of her answers lawyerly and not always satisfying, we sensed her temperament is measured and her reflexes aren’t kneejerk.
The same cannot be said for her opponent, State Rep. Frank White of Pensacola, who comes off as a bully in his over-thetop attack ads.
White, 39, is the general counsel and chief financial officer of a chain of car dealerships owned by his wife’s family. He moved to Florida from Texas in 2010 and was elected to the Legislature in 2016. There, he says he fought to protect Second Amendment rights, outlaw “sanctuary” cities and oppose government “overregulation.”
White declined our invitation for a joint interview with Moody, saying: “I believe my time is better spent talking directly with hardworking Floridians like those at the Americans for Trump meeting being held on the same day.”
Interestingly, Moody showed up to both events.
White also is busy spending about $3 million of his family’s money to attack Moody on television, suggesting she isn’t conservative enough or doesn’t sufficiently support President Trump. Let’s take a closer look.
White notes that Moody registered as a Democrat when she first became a voter at 18. He fails to note that she became a Republican at 22 — more than 20 years ago. He also blasts her for having given $100 to Democrat Bill McBride’s gubernatorial campaign in 2001 when she worked for his firm. And he says that as a prosecutor and a judge, she went light on pedophiles.
Give us a break.
Eight years in prison for a 16-year-old boy who took a photo of a nude 6-year-old girl and uploaded it to a website frequented by pedophiles is hardly a slap on the wrist.
And 6½ years in prison for someone who quickly pleaded guilty to possessing and distributing child pornography was what was called for under federal sentencing guidelines.
And if a developer takes your money for a condo that never gets built, should you just walk away? Is it really so terrible that Moody’s family wanted their down payments back after Trump Tower Tampa fizzled during the recession? The president wasn’t even a candidate in 2009. Neither was he the developer. He’d just licensed his name.
Unlike White, at least Moody has a track record of standing up for people, tackling tough issues and showing some decorum.
White has never so much as prosecuted a case.
“He has no qualifications to be the attorney general,” Moody says. “He is running a campaign strictly on trying to attack me.”
Moody’s campaign released a letter signed by eight state attorneys saying White's attacks show he is “unfit to serve.”
Moody is an honorable candidate, even if her conservative views are a little too far to the right for our tastes.
But Frank White is behaving more like a used-car salesman than someone who wants to be Florida’s top lawyer.
Republicans have only one credible choice: Ashley Moody.
Editorials are the opinion of the Sun Sentinel Editorial Board and written by one of its members or a designee. The Editorial Board consists of Editorial Page Editor Rosemary O'Hara, Andy Reid and Editor-in-Chief Julie Anderson.
State Rep. Sean Shaw’s early lessons in justice came from one of the highest authorities around – his father, the late Florida Supreme Court Justice Leander Shaw.
Shaw, 40, has forged a more proactive path in public service — first as an insurance watchdog, later as a state legislator. Now, frustrated by the veto-proof majority Republicans hold in the Florida House, he’s stepped up to run for Attorney General.
Good for Shaw. If elected, this sharp, charismatic Democrat promises to be a crusading attorney general, the likes of which Florida hasn’t seen.
Shaw has no desire to serve as general counsel to the governor or Legislature, which is how some characterize the tenure of Attorney General Pam Bondi, who cannot run for re-election because of term limits.
He promises to stand up for everyday people against polluters, scammers and corruption.
And he’s built a credible campaign, the kind Democrats would need to win the Attorney General’s office for the first time since Bob Butterworth left in 2002.
Without question, Shaw is the Democrats’ best chance.
His opponent, Ryan Torrens, 33, is principled and well-meaning, but he has neither the resume nor the resources to become Florida’s top lawyer.
Torrens runs a one-person law office in Tampa that specializes in foreclosure defense and consumer protection litigation. If elected, he says he would pursue better consumer protections, go after scam artists targeting seniors, be an advocate for due process and take on drug traffickers fueling the opioid crisis.
“It’s been far too long since our consumers in this state had a fair shake,” Torrens said. “I’m running for attorney general … to turn this office into the most powerful consumer-protection machine this state has ever seen.”
In late July, Shaw asked a Leon County judge to toss Torrens from the ballot for accepting a $4,000 contribution — $1,000 more than allowed — to cover his $7,740 qualifying fee for the ballot. “If not for the illegal $4,000 contribution, Torrens would not have qualified as a candidate,” the lawsuit alleges. Torrens called the lawsuit a “sham” and a “desperate attempt by my corporate-backed challenger” to win the election,
In truth, Shaw and Torrens are on the same side of most issues, but Shaw has it all over his opponent in terms of experience and support.
“I’m running to go up there and be an independent watchdog and that’s how the office is going to be used,” Shaw said during a joint interview with the heads of the Sun Sentinel, Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post editorial boards. “It’s the office that is most able to stick up for the people.” As a lawyer, Shaw stood up for consumers by taking on insurance companies — both in private practice and as Florida’s Insurance Consumer Advocate from 2008 to 2010.
As a legislator from Tampa, he pushed for more education funding, gun buy-back programs and better insurance coverage for mental illness.
As attorney general, he promises a new approach.
He would challenge the Legislature’s poor funding of public schools.
He would push back against the Legislature’s lack of adherence to Amendment 1, approved by voters to set aside more state money for land and water conservation.
He would end Bondi’s effort to undermine the Affordable Care Act, including its protection for people with pre-existing conditions.
He would push for tougher gun control laws and support the repeal of Florida’s dangerous “Stand Your Ground” law.
He would hold pharmaceutical companies responsible for their role in the opioid epidemic.
He would prosecute hate crimes and workplace discrimination.
He would pursue those who commit fraud and identity theft.
He would fight to implement the consitutional amendment that legalized medical marijuana, including the smokable kind.
He would push the automatic restoration of civil rights to felons who’ve served their time.
And he would fight to preserve public access to government records and meetings, as the Attorney General’s office once did.
“I’m the best-equipped person to win this race and the general election,” Shaw said. “My message is … who do you want to fight for you in Tallahassee?”
After so many years on the back bench, Democrats should want Shaw fighting for them in Tallahassee.
Shaw has the endorsements of traditional Democratic supporters, including the AFL-CIO and the Florida Education Association. Many prominent Florida Democrats past and present — from former Gov. and U.S. Sen. Bob Graham to U.S. Rep. Ted Deutch — also are supporting him.
Shaw has our support, too.
In the Democratic primary for Attorney General, the Sun Sentinel endorses Sean Shaw.
Editorials are the opinion of the Sun Sentinel Editorial Board and written by one of its members or a designee. The Editorial Board consists of Editorial Page Editor Rosemary O'Hara, Andy Reid and Editor-in-Chief Julie Anderson.
Michael Udine, member, Broward County
Commission
The South Florida Regional Planning Council took up the issue of the American Dream Mall project in Northwest Dade County. This project will significantly impact everyone in Broward County and beyond. As your representative on the SFRPC, I voted to find this project NOT consistent with our overall comprehensive plan. I also made the motion to revoke all previous approvals by the SFRPC in the event the underlying developer’s agreement was watered down. We cannot move forward with a project of this magnitude without fully considering the effect it will have on traffic conditions, our environment, and quality of life.
Anthony Abbate, Florida Atlantic University, Associate Provost, Broward
In just a single afternoon this week there was an active shooter in downtown Fort Lauderdale and a credible threat of violence that cancelled the summer graduation ceremony at FAU’s campus in Boca Raton. Violence and threats of violence in our country are on the rise. They are random and can happen to anyone, anywhere, anytime. Check out the Department of Homeland Security’s website “Ready” at www.ready.gov/active-shooter for preliminary tips on how to be informed, plan ahead and take action to protect yourself and others. Better yet, consider investing in professional training and upgraded security.
Irela Bague, president, Bague Group
The fires raging in California have shown Americans that this may now be the “new normal” as our planet continues to heat up. However, this “new normal” is not really all that new. In fact, scientists have been showing the trends of global warming for the past century. For us in South Florida, our new normal is dealing with increased flooding, extreme weather, and sea level rise but we must recognize that if we act to now the new normal does not have to be a static state rather constantly adapting. Perry Thurston, member, Florida Senate
Democratic legislators have asked for a special session to repeal Stand Your Ground, following the inexplicable decision by a sheriff in Clearwater who cited the law in not arresting an assailant who fatally shot an unarmed black man over a parking space. While the idea of Republicans striking down the law seems absurd, the required polling of all 160 lawmakers on the issue that comes with the request is anything but. Floridians need to know where their lawmakers stand, particularly as gun violence and the absurdity of the Stand Your Ground statute gains traction as an election issue.
Marty Kiar, Broward County Property
Appraiser
The Miami Dolphins announced the team’s training facility will be moved from Broward to Miami-Dade by 2020. At a cost of $75-$80 million, the complex will be built next to Hard Rock Stadium. As a Broward resident and Dolphin fan, I’ll miss having the training facility in Broward. For 25 years the facility has been an economic engine for our community and has given residents in the tri-county area easy access to watching the team practice. Fortunately, we don’t have to say goodbye to the Dolphins just yet as they will likely remain for the 2019 season.
Sandra Bernard-Bastien, chief communications officer, Children's Services Council of Broward County
Last week, Apple, Facebook, YouTube and Spotify acted to remove an account promoting the idea that the Sandy Hook school massacre was a hoax. Twitter however did not, stating, in part, “we strongly believe Twitter should not be the arbiter of truth nor do we have scalable solutions to determine and action what's true or false." In this delicate balance of free speech versus spreading lies, Twitter decided that freedom comes first. With freedom comes responsibility for each user of social media though – check your facts. Point out and refute falsehoods in your own circle. Freedom requires maintenance by all.