Aronberg
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (Legal Newsline) - A state senator who was critical of an advertising commercial contract given by Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum will try to become McCollum's successor next year.
Democrat Dave Aronberg recently announced his campaign for the attorney general's spot, which is being vacated by the Republican McCollum for a run at governor. Aronberg began his career in public office as an assistant attorney general in 1999.
Aronberg graduated from Harvard Law School in 1996 and was elected to the state Senate in Nov. 2002, carrying 59 percent of the votes in his heavily Republican district.
An amendment he introducedin April would have closed a state law that allowed for no-bid contracts for public service announcements. McCollum drew criticism for giving a $1.4 million PSA contract to an advertising firm that also worked on his campaign.
Aronberg also made a name for himself in the Attorney General's Office by leading the case against Miss Cleo, the over-the-phone Jamiaican psychic who ran late-night television ads.
"Public safety is not some political theme to me. It is a passion. The people of this state deserve a true watchdog who will fight to protect them everyday - that's exactly what I will be," Aronberg said in a statement.
"Corporations have their attorneys, and criminals have their attorneys. I will be the people's attorney."
From Legal Newsline: Reach John O'Brien by e-mail at john@legalnewsline.com.