Ashley Moody | |
---|---|
United States Senator from Florida | |
Assumed office January 21, 2025 Servingwith Rick Scott | |
Appointed by | Ron DeSantis |
Preceded by | Marco Rubio |
38th Attorney General of Florida | |
In office January 8,2019 –January 21,2025 | |
Governor | Ron DeSantis |
Preceded by | Pam Bondi |
Succeeded by | John Guard (acting) |
Judge of the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida | |
In office January 2,2007 –April 28,2017 | |
Preceded by | Susan Sexton |
Succeeded by | Jennifer Gabbard |
Personal details | |
Born | Ashley Brooke Moody March 28,1975 Plant City,Florida,U.S. |
Political party | Republican (1998–present) |
Other political affiliations | Democratic (before 1998) |
Spouse | Justin Duralia |
Children | 2 |
Parent |
|
Education | University of Florida (BS, MS, JD) Stetson University (LLM) |
Signature | |
Website | Senate website |
Ashley Brooke Moody (born March 28, 1975) is an American politician, attorney, and former jurist serving as the junior United States senator from Florida since 2025. A member of the Republican Party, she served as the 38th attorney general of Florida from 2019 to 2025, as a circuit court judge in Hillsborough County from 2007 to 2017, and before that as an assistant U.S. attorney at the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Middle District of Florida.
As Florida attorney general, Moody supported lawsuits to invalidate the Affordable Care Act, advocated against restoration of voting rights for former felons, and opposed the legalization of recreational marijuana. She supported then-President Donald Trump in Florida during the 2020 presidential election, and joined in the Texas v. Pennsylvania lawsuit, which sought to contest the results of the election.
In January 2025, Governor Ron DeSantis announced that he would appoint Moody to the U.S. Senate to succeed Marco Rubio, who became United States Secretary of State on January 21, 2025.
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]
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, she was elected to the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida in Hillsborough County. [7] [8] [9]
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, she defeated state representative Frank White. [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 over Democratic nominee Aramis Ayala by a 21-point margin. [15] [16]
Moody kept Florida in a lawsuit that seeks to have the Affordable Care Act deemed unconstitutional. [17] [18]
Moody argued for the disqualification of a 2022 ballot measure to legalize recreational cannabis in Florida, contending that it was misleading because the summary (which could not be longer than 75 words) did not clarify that cannabis would remain illegal under federal law. [19] [20] The Supreme Court of Florida agreed in a 5–2 ruling, effectively killing the initiative, which had already received 556,049 signatures of 891,589 required to appear on the ballot. [21] [22] Two months later, 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". [23] [24]
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. [25] 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. [26] The Florida Supreme Court ruled 5–2 that the initiative would remain on the ballot. [27] [28]
Moody opposed the restoration of voting rights for former felons. [29] After the Voting Rights Restoration for Felons Initiative passed in 2018, she and Governor Ron DeSantis helped push a bill through the Florida Senate that would restore voting rights to eligible felons only once the felons had paid all their court fees. In 2020, after 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. [30]
During the 2020 presidential election, Politico called Moody "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 contest the election. [31]
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. [31]
In 2021, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Moody sued the federal government and the CDC for instituting requirements that cruise ships require 95% of passengers to be fully vaccinated. [37] [38]
In January 2024, Moody petitioned the Florida Supreme Court to disqualify a ballot measure to expand abortion access, claiming its language could mislead voters. [39] The measure remained on the ballot but failed to garner the necessary 60% of the vote to amend the Florida Constitution. [40]
On January 16, 2025, Governor Ron DeSantis announced his intention to appoint Moody to the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Marco Rubio, pending his confirmation by the Senate as Secretary of State in the second Trump administration. [41] [42] She is Florida's second female senator, after Paula Hawkins. [43]
Moody was sworn in on January 21, 2025, along with former Ohio Lieutenant Governor Jon Husted, by Vice President JD Vance. She was escorted by fellow Florida Senator Rick Scott. [44]
Moody is married to Justin Duralia, a Drug Enforcement Administration officer. [6] They have two children. [45]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Ashley Moody | 41,522 | 39.08% | N/A | |
Democratic | Gary Dolgin | 33,675 | 31.70% | N/A | |
Independent | Pat Courtney | 31,042 | 29.22% | N/A | |
Majority | 7,847 | 7.38% | N/A | ||
Turnout | 106,239 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Ashley Moody | 142,610 | 60.31% | N/A | |
Democratic | Gary Dolgin | 93,854 | 39.69% | N/A | |
Majority | 48,756 | 20.62% | N/A | ||
Turnout | 236,464 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Ashley Moody | 882,028 | 56.80% | N/A | |
Republican | Frank White | 670,823 | 43.20% | N/A | |
Majority | 211,205 | 13.60% | N/A | ||
Turnout | 1,552,851 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Ashley Moody | 4,232,532 | 52.11% | −2.96% | |
Democratic | Sean Shaw | 3,744,912 | 46.10% | +4.09% | |
Independent | Jeffrey Marc Siskind | 145,296 | 1.79% | N/A | |
Majority | 487,620 | 6.01% | −7.07% | ||
Turnout | 8,122,740 | ||||
Republican hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Ashley Moody (incumbent) | 4,651,279 | 60.59% | +8.48% | |
Democratic | Aramis Ayala | 3,025,943 | 39.41% | −6.69% | |
Total votes | 7,677,222 | 100.0% | |||
Republican hold |
Pamela Jo Bondi is an American attorney, lobbyist, and politician. A member of the Republican Party, she served as Florida attorney general from 2011 to 2019, the first woman elected to the office.
James Shelton Moody Jr. is a senior United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida.
The legal history of cannabis in the United States began with state-level prohibition in the early 20th century, with the first major federal limitations occurring in 1937. Starting with Oregon in 1973, individual states began to liberalize cannabis laws through decriminalization. In 1996, California became the first state to legalize medical cannabis, sparking a trend that spread to a majority of states by 2016. In 2012, Washington and Colorado became the first states to legalize cannabis for recreational use.
Cannabis in South Dakota is legal for medical use as of July 1, 2021, having been legalized by a ballot initiative on November 3, 2020. Prior to then, cannabis was fully illegal, with South Dakota being the only U.S. state which outlawed ingestion of controlled substances. Testing positive for cannabis can be a misdemeanor offense. South Dakota would have become the first state in US history to legalize recreational and medical cannabis simultaneously, but an amendment legalizing recreational marijuana that was approved in the same election was struck down as unconstitutional the following February. The challenge claimed the amendment violated Amendment Z, the "Single-Subject Rule". The decision was appealed to the South Dakota Supreme Court, which upheld the lower court's decision on November 24, 2021.
The Florida Medical Marijuana Legalization Initiative, also known as Amendment 2, was approved by voters in the Tuesday, November 8, 2016, general election in the State of Florida. The bill required a super-majority vote to pass, with at least 60% of voters voting for support of a state constitutional amendment. Florida already had a medical marijuana law in place, but only for those who are terminally ill and with less than a year left to live. The goal of Amendment 2 is to alleviate those suffering from these medical conditions: cancer, epilepsy, glaucoma, positive status for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Crohn's disease, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, chronic nonmalignant pain caused by a qualifying medical condition or that originates from a qualified medical condition or other debilitating medical conditions comparable to those listed. Under Amendment 2, the medical marijuana will be given to the patient if the physician believes that the medical use of marijuana would likely outweigh the potential health risks for a patient. Smoking the medication was not allowed under a statute passed by the Florida State Legislature, however this ban was struck down by Leon County Circuit Court Judge Karen Gievers on May 25, 2018.
Cannabis in Arizona is legal for recreational use. A 2020 initiative to legalize recreational use passed with 60% of the vote. Possession and cultivation of recreational cannabis became legal on November 30, 2020, with the first state-licensed sales occurring on January 22, 2021.
Cannabis in Florida is illegal for recreational use. Possession of up to 20 grams is a misdemeanor offense, punishable by up to a year in jail, a fine of up to $1000, and the suspension of one's driver's license. Several cities and counties have enacted reforms to apply lesser penalties, however.
Sean Michael Shaw is an American attorney and politician from the State of Florida. A member of the Democratic Party, he represented Florida House of Representatives District 61, which includes portions of Hillsborough County in and around Tampa, including Ybor City and Tampa Heights, from 2016 to 2018. Shaw was the Democratic nominee for the 2018 Florida Attorney General election.
Florida Amendment 4, also the Voting Rights Restoration for Felons Initiative, is an amendment to the constitution of the U.S. state of Florida passed by ballot initiative on November 6, 2018, as part of the 2018 Florida elections. The proposition restored the voting rights of Floridians with felony convictions after they complete all terms of their sentence including parole or probation. The amendment does not apply to Floridians convicted of murder or sexual offenses.
Nicole Heather Fried is an American lawyer and politician who has served as the chair of the Florida Democratic Party since 2023. Prior to her election as chair, Fried served as the 12th Florida commissioner of agriculture from 2019 to 2023. Fried graduated from the University of Florida in 2003. She has previously practiced various forms of law, including corporate law, foreclosure defense, and public defense. Fried has also been a prominent lobbyist for the marijuana industry in the state of Florida.
Laurel Frances Lee is an American lawyer and politician serving as the U.S. representatives for Florida's 15th congressional district since 2023. A member of the Republican Party, she was a judge on Florida's Thirteenth Judicial Circuit from 2013 to 2019 and was the 30th Secretary of State of Florida from 2019 to 2022.
The 2022 Florida attorney general election took place on November 8, 2022, to elect the Florida attorney general. Incumbent Republican attorney general Ashley Moody was reelected for a second term, defeating Democratic challenger Aramis Ayala by a 21-point margin in a landslide victory. Moody received the most raw votes and the highest percentage of the vote of any state-wide candidate in the 2022 Florida elections.
South Dakota Constitutional Amendment A, the Marijuana Legalization Initiative, was a cannabis legalization initiative that appeared on the November 3, 2020 South Dakota general election ballot. Passing with 54% of the vote, the measure would have legalized recreational marijuana in South Dakota effective July 1, 2021. Additionally, Amendment A required the South Dakota State Legislature to establish a medical marijuana program and legal hemp sales by April 1, 2022.
U.S. President Joe Biden stated in February 2021 that his administration will pursue cannabis decriminalization as well as seek expungements for people with prior cannabis convictions. As of October 2022, Biden pardoned thousands of people convicted of marijuana possession under federal law. However, according to the Marshall Project, nobody was released from prison as a result of the October 2022 pardons, as no federal inmates were incarcerated for simple marijuana use at the time.
Oklahoma State Question 820 was a voter initiative to legalize adult purchasing, possession and consumption of cannabis in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. It would have placed Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority in charge of business regulation. It appeared on the March 7, 2023 in a special election to consider this single State Question. Governor Kevin Stitt, who opposed the measure, set the special election in a successful attempt to limit voter turnout.
Florida Amendment 3 was a proposed constitutional amendment to the Florida Constitution subject to a direct voter referendum on November 5, 2024, that would have legalized cannabis for possession, purchase, and recreational use in Florida for adults 21 years or older. The amendment achieved a majority 56% support among voters in the U.S. state of Florida but failed to reach the 60% supermajority required for adoption.
Florida Amendment 4 was a proposed amendment to the Florida Constitution, which failed on November 5, 2024. Through a statewide referendum, the amendment achieved 57% support among voters in the U.S. state of Florida, short of the 60% supermajority required by law.