Attorney General of Florida since 2019
Ashley Brooke Moody
(born March 28, 1975) is an American attorney and politician serving as the
Florida attorney general
since January 2019. Moody previously served as an assistant
U.S. attorney
and a
circuit court
judge in
Hillsborough County
.
During her tenure as Florida attorney general, Moody has supported lawsuits to invalidate the
Affordable Care Act
, advocated against
restoration of voting rights for former felons
, and opposed the
legalization of recreational marijuana
. Moody was a significant surrogate of then-President
Donald Trump
in
Florida
during the
2020 presidential election
, and joined in the
Texas v. Pennsylvania
lawsuit, which sought to
overturn the results of the election
.
Early life and education
[
edit
]
Moody was born in
Plant City, Florida
, on March 28, 1975.
[1]
She is the oldest of three children born to Carol and Judge
James S. Moody Jr.
[2]
Moody graduated from
Plant City High School
in 1993.
[3]
She received a
bachelor's degree
and
master's degree
in accounting from
University of Florida
. While attending the University of Florida, she served as president of
Florida Blue Key
.
[4]
Moody earned a
Master of Laws
in international law from
Stetson University College of Law
, and her
Juris Doctor
from the
University of Florida School of Law
.
[5]
Early career
[
edit
]
Moody interned for
Martha Barnett
, the president of the
American Bar Association
,
[2]
and later joined the law firm
Holland & Knight
, working in civil litigation.
[6]
In January 1998, Moody switched her party affiliation from
Democratic
to
Republican
. Upon his election, Florida governor
Jeb Bush
appointed her to be the student representative on the
Board of Regents
, a now-defunct body that ran the
state's university system
.
[1]
Moody was appointed an assistant
U.S. attorney
for the
Middle District of Florida
.
[6]
In 2006, Moody was elected to the
Thirteenth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida
, which consisted of
Hillsborough County
.
[7]
[8]
[9]
Florida Attorney General
[
edit
]
Elections
[
edit
]
On April 28, 2017, Moody resigned from the court to run for
Florida Attorney General
in the
2018 election
.
[10]
[11]
In the
Republican
primary, Moody defeated state representative
Frank White
, who attacked Moody for her prior registration as a Democrat.
[12]
[13]
In the general election, Moody defeated Democratic nominee
Sean Shaw
, a state representative, with 52% of the vote to Shaw's 46%.
[14]
Moody was reelected in the
2022 election
against Democratic nominee
Aramis Ayala
, winning by a margin of approximately 20%.
[15]
[16]
Tenure
[
edit
]
Health care
[
edit
]
Moody kept Florida in a lawsuit that seeks to have the
Affordable Care Act
deemed unconstitutional.
[17]
[18]
Michael Flynn
[
edit
]
In May 2020, Moody urged the federal government to drop its case against Trump associate
Michael Flynn
who had pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI.
[19]
Marijuana
[
edit
]
Moody argued for the disqualification of a 2022 ballot measure to
legalize recreational cannabis
in Florida, contending that the proposed amendment was misleading because the summary (which could not be longer than 75 words) did not clarify that cannabis would remain illegal under federal law.
[20]
[21]
The Supreme Court of Florida agreed in a 5?2 ruling in April 2021, effectively killing the initiative which had already received 556,049 valid signatures of 891,589 required to appear on the ballot.
[22]
[23]
Two months later, in June 2021, the court granted Moody's request that a second ballot measure to legalize recreational cannabis be disqualified from the 2022 ballot, in another 5?2 ruling that deemed the measure "affirmatively misleading".
[24]
[25]
In June 2023, Moody argued for the disqualification of a 2024 ballot measure to legalize recreational cannabis in Florida, filing a 49-page legal brief that asserted once again that the summary failed to make clear that cannabis would remain illegal under federal law, among other arguments put forth in the brief.
[26]
The challenge sought to strike down the initiative which had received 967,528 of a required 891,523 valid signatures to appear on the ballot.
[27]
The Florida Supreme Court ruled in April 2024 in a 5?2 ruling against Moody that the initiative would remain on the ballot.
[28]
[29]
Voting rights
[
edit
]
Moody opposes the restoration of voting rights for former felons.
[30]
Following the passing of
Voting Rights Restoration for Felons Initiative
in 2018, Moody, along with Governor
Ron DeSantis
, helped push a bill through the
Florida Senate
that would only restore voting rights to eligible felons once the felon has paid all of their court fees. In September 2020, after billionaire
Michael Bloomberg
raised $16 million to pay 32,000 felons' court fees, which would make them eligible to vote in the
2020 elections
, Moody asked the
Federal Bureau of Investigation
and the
Florida Department of Law Enforcement
to investigate Bloomberg, claiming he potentially violated election laws.
[31]
2020 presidential election
[
edit
]
During the
2020 presidential election
,
Politico
described Moody as "one of
Donald Trump
's biggest surrogates" in Florida.
[4]
After
Joe Biden
won the election and Trump refused to concede, Moody took a leading role in aiding Trump's
attempts to overturn the election
.
[19]
On December 9, 2020, Moody and 15 other
state attorneys general
announced their support for a
lawsuit
by
Ken Paxton
, the
Texas attorney general
, asking the
Supreme Court of the United States
to invalidate the presidential election results in
Georgia
,
Michigan
,
Pennsylvania
, and
Wisconsin
, which were all won by Biden.
[32]
There was no evidence of large-scale fraud in the election,
[33]
[34]
and the court decided 7-2 not to hear the Texas lawsuit.
[35]
[36]
Moody was on the board of directors for the Rule of Law Defense Fund. In January 2021, the organization encouraged the gathering at the
Capitol building
to call for a halt on the
counting of the Electoral College ballots
, which they contended were fraudulent. After the pro-Trump mob
stormed the Capitol
, Moody removed any references to the Rule of Law Defense Fund from her online biography.
[19]
COVID-19 pandemic
[
edit
]
In 2021, amid the
COVID-19 pandemic
, Moody sued the federal government and the
CDC
for instituting requirements that cruise ships require 95% of cruise passengers to be fully vaccinated to sail.
[37]
[38]
Abortion Rights initiative
[
edit
]
Although nearly a million Floridians, 76% of them women, signed petitions to certify a 2024 ballot measure which would preserve and expand abortion rights, Moody petitioned to the state Supreme Court in January to keep state voters from being able to vote in its favor, claiming its language could mislead voters. Hundreds of Florida Republicans donated to help finance the initiative campaign.
[39]
Personal life
[
edit
]
Moody is married to Justin Duralia, a
Drug Enforcement Administration
special agent. They have two sons together.
[40]
Their elder son is serving in the
United States Army
.
[41]
Electoral history
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
a
b
March, William.
"Family tradition drives Ashley Moody in attorney general's race"
.
Tampa Bay Times
. Retrieved
March 15,
2019
.
- ^
a
b
March, William (October 12, 2018).
"Ashley Moody hopes to succeed Pam Bondi as attorney general"
.
Miami Herald
. Retrieved
October 23,
2018
.
- ^
"Campus notes"
.
The Tampa Tribune
. June 19, 1999. p. 6
. Retrieved
March 15,
2019
– via Newspapers.com.
- ^
a
b
Fineout, Gary.
"Florida's top prosecutor once sued Trump. Now she's fighting for his reelection"
.
Politico
. Retrieved
December 10,
2020
.
- ^
"Thirteenth Judicial Circuit Administrative Office of the Courts > Judicial Directory > Ashley B. Moody > Profile"
. July 11, 2017. Archived from
the original
on July 11, 2017
. Retrieved
March 15,
2019
.
- ^
a
b
Henderson, John (July 6, 2018).
"A conversation with AG candidate Ashley Moody"
.
Panama City News Herald
. Archived from
the original
on September 21, 2018
. Retrieved
October 23,
2018
.
- ^
"Judicial Directory: Profile: Ashley B. Moody"
.
Thirteenth Judicial Circuit Hillsborough County
. Archived from
the original
on June 6, 2016.
- ^
"Ashley B. Moody"
.
Ballotpedia
. Retrieved
December 23,
2023
.
- ^
"Governor Scott Appoints Judge Jennifer X. Gabbard to the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit Court"
.
Conference of County Court Judges of Florida
. August 13, 2017
. Retrieved
December 23,
2023
.
- ^
"Carlton: Judge abruptly quits ? and is something big to come?"
.
Tampa Bay Times
. April 5, 2017
. Retrieved
March 15,
2019
.
- ^
"Former Hillsborough Judge Ashley Moody files to run for Florida Attorney General"
.
Tampa Bay Times
. June 2, 2017
. Retrieved
March 15,
2019
.
- ^
"Former Hillsborough judge Ashley Moody wins Republican nomination in attorney general race"
.
10NEWS
. August 29, 2018
. Retrieved
March 15,
2019
.
- ^
"GOP candidate for Florida AG wasn't a "lifelong Democrat"
"
.
PolitiFact
. Retrieved
March 15,
2019
.
- ^
"Ashley Moody elected Florida's attorney general"
.
www.wctv.tv
.
Associated Press
. November 7, 2018
. Retrieved
March 15,
2019
.
- ^
"FLORIDA"
.
State AG Report
. Retrieved
October 6,
2020
.
- ^
"Moody defeats Ayala in race for attorney general"
.
WFTV
. November 9, 2022
. Retrieved
November 11,
2022
.
- ^
"Democratic lawmakers harangue Ashley Moody for Affordable Care Act challenge"
.
Florida Politics
. May 6, 2020.
Archived
from the original on May 11, 2020
. Retrieved
April 23,
2021
.
- ^
"Florida Groups Fear Loss of Health Insurance Ahead Of Arguments In ACA Lawsuit"
.
Health News Florida
. October 30, 2020
. Retrieved
April 23,
2021
.
- ^
a
b
c
"Florida's Ashley Moody worked with group linked to Capitol insurrection"
.
Tampa Bay Times
. Retrieved
January 12,
2021
.
- ^
Gancarski, A.G. (December 20, 2019).
"Ashley Moody argues against pot legalization initiative"
.
Florida Politics
. Retrieved
August 5,
2023
.
- ^
Wilson, Kirby (April 22, 2021).
"Florida marijuana legalization dealt blow by Florida Supreme Court"
.
Tampa Bay Times
. Archived from
the original
on June 2, 2023
. Retrieved
August 5,
2023
.
- ^
Stern, Mark Joseph (April 22, 2021).
"The Florida Supreme Court Won't Let Voters Legalize Recreational Marijuana"
.
Slate
. Retrieved
August 5,
2023
.
- ^
Jaeger, Kyle (April 22, 2021).
"Florida Supreme Court Kills 2022 Marijuana Legalization Initiative That Hundreds Of Thousands Had Signed"
.
Marijuana Moment
. Retrieved
August 5,
2023
.
- ^
Wilson, Kirby (June 17, 2021).
"Florida Supreme Court issues another defeat to marijuana legalization"
.
Tampa Bay Times
. Archived from
the original
on December 7, 2022
. Retrieved
August 5,
2023
.
- ^
Moline, Michael (June 17, 2021).
"FL Supreme Court blocks a second pro-pot citizens initiative from the 2022 ballot"
.
Florida Phoenix
. Retrieved
August 5,
2023
.
- ^
Kam, Dara (June 27, 2023).
"Florida's attorney general says recreational marijuana amendment is 'misleading to voters'
"
.
Orlando Weekly
. News Service of Florida
. Retrieved
August 5,
2023
.
- ^
Jaeger, Kyle (June 27, 2023).
"Florida Attorney General Argues That Marijuana Legalization Ballot Measure Misleads Voters In Brief To Supreme Court"
.
Marijuana Moment
. Retrieved
August 5,
2023
.
- ^
Sarkissian, Arek (April 1, 2024).
"Florida Supreme Court approves ballot measure to legalize recreational marijuana"
.
Politico
. Retrieved
April 30,
2024
.
- ^
Wilson, Kirby; Ellenbogen, Romy (April 1, 2024).
"Recreational weed will be on Florida's 2024 ballot, Supreme Court rules"
.
Tampa Bay Times
. Archived from
the original
on April 9, 2024
. Retrieved
April 30,
2024
.
- ^
Knowles, Summer (November 1, 2018).
"Amendment 4: Restores felons' rights"
.
WESH
. Retrieved
January 27,
2020
.
- ^
Moreno, Edward (September 23, 2020).
"Florida attorney general scrutinizing Bloomberg paying fines for felons to vote"
.
The Hill
. Retrieved
September 24,
2020
.
- ^
Man, Anthony.
"Florida joins Texas in seeking to overturn election results, in support of President Trump"
.
sun-sentinel.com
. Retrieved
December 10,
2020
.
- ^
Pazniokas, Mark (December 13, 2020).
"Voter fraud is real, just not on the scale claimed by Trump"
.
The Connecticut Mirror
.
- ^
"News Wrap: AG Barr says no evidence of large-scale election fraud"
.
PBS NewsHour
. December 1, 2020.
- ^
Ogles, Jacob (December 9, 2020).
"Ashley Moody files brief supporting Texas suit seeking to invalidate election results"
.
Florida Politics
. Retrieved
December 10,
2020
.
- ^
Matthews, Chris (December 11, 2020).
"Supreme Court declines to hear Texas case, ending Trump's effort to overturn election"
.
MarketWatch
. Retrieved
December 14,
2020
.
- ^
"Ashley Moody defends 'essential' vaccine passport suit against CDC"
.
Florida Politics
. June 14, 2021
. Retrieved
August 9,
2021
.
- ^
Company, Tampa Publishing.
"Florida fires back in Norwegian Cruise's challenge to vaccine 'passport' ban"
.
Tampa Bay Times
. Retrieved
August 9,
2021
.
- ^
More than 200 Republicans have donated to get abortion on Florida ballots
,
Tampa Bay Times
, Ivy Nyayieka, January 24, 2024. Retrieved January 28, 2024.
- ^
"Florida Attorney General ? Attorney General Ashley Moody Bio"
.
www.myfloridalegal.com
. Retrieved
March 15,
2019
.
- ^
"Who is Ashley Moody?"
.
- ^
"Hillsborough County 2006 Primary Election"
(PDF)
.
Vote Hillsborough
. Retrieved
September 9,
2020
.
- ^
"Hillsborough County 2006 General Election"
(PDF)
.
Vote Hillsborough
. Retrieved
September 9,
2020
.
- ^
"August 28, 2018 Primary Election Republican Primary"
.
Florida Department of State
. Retrieved
September 9,
2020
.
- ^
"November 6, 2018 General Election"
.
Florida Department of State
. Retrieved
September 9,
2020
.
- ^
"2022 General Election ? Official Results: Attorney General"
.
Florida Election Watch
.
External links
[
edit
]
|
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- Political party affiliations
- ?
28
Republicans
(27 states, 1 territory)
- ?
25
Democrats
(23 states, 1 territory, 1 district)
- ?
1
New Progressive
(1 territory)
- ?
2 Unknown (2 territories)
An asterisk (*) indicates that the officeholder is serving in an acting capacity.
State abbreviations link to position articles.
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