Jason Delgado
Attorney General Ashley Moody ranks among the top targets of a digital campaign launched Tuesday by a government watchdog group.
The campaign, Enemies of Progress, will highlight the “transgressions” of more than a dozen top law enforcement officials who are working to obstruct President Joe Biden’s administration and “prevent progress” on issues impacting Americans.
The group, Accountable.US, is a self-described nonpartisan watchdog group.
“Instead of fighting for their best interests, Attorney General Moody is spending Floridian’s taxpayer dollars on frivolous lawsuits against the Biden administration on behalf of (her) special interest donors,” said Kyle Herrig, president of Accountable.US. “Look no further than her track record with Purdue Pharma: after pocketing $170,000 from a pharma lobbyist, Moody shielded the industry from paying the price for perpetuating the opioid epidemic. These pay to play schemes are hurting the people of Florida.”
In a report by the group, Moody is blasted for multiple causes, including her support for Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law and her opposition to gun control measures after the Pulse nightclub shooting.
The report also criticizes the Republican Attorney General for signing onto an amicus brief before the Supreme Court in favor of a citizen question on the latest U.S. Census.
“Such a question would have caused an undercounting of Florida’s population for ‘dire’ consequences and jeopardize at least $178 million in aid from the federal government,” the group alleged in a press release.
In a statement to Florida Politics, Moody’s camp blasted the group as partisan and defended the Attorney General’s record.
“No one is buying this blatant political attack from a liberal, dark-money group targeting strong Republican leaders throughout our nation,” said Communications Director Whitney Ray. “Anyone who does a minute of research would know that Attorney General Moody is a leader in the fight to end the opioid crisis and hold major opioid manufacturers and distributors, including Purdue Pharma, accountable for fueling the deadly epidemic. These efforts include Attorney General Moody working with other state AGs to recover more than $4.5 billion from the Sackler family.”
Moody is joined on the list by 12 other attorneys general from Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, and West Virginia.
The Washington-based group will soon deploy digital ads against the collective on social media and via media outlets in key states, a press release said.
“Poll after poll shows the public supports the Biden agenda, and any obstructionist who would abuse their power to protect profits of greedy special interests is an enemy of progress,” Herrig added.
