Last week’s program was presented by Rotarian Jodi Stevens.  Jodi’s guest speaker was Judge Ashley Moody who is currently running for election as the next Attorney General for the State of Florida.  Judge Moody is a Plant City native with a strong legal family background.  Ashley Moody recently filed campaign papers to run for Florida attorney general in 2018.  Moody, a Republican, was elected to the 13th Judicial Circuit in 2006. At the time, she was the youngest judge in Florida.  She's now running for an influential seat on the Florida Cabinet, seeking to replace another Hillsborough County Republican, Pam Bondi. Bondi will have to leave office because of term limits.  Moody, who was the 1993 Strawberry Festival queen in Plant City and president of University of Florida's Blue Key, hails from a local judicial dynasty. Her late grandfather was a circuit judge and served in the state Legislature. Her father, James S. Moody, is a longtime federal judge. Her mother Carol is an attorney who has counseled poor seniors. Her brother James Moody III is being considered for two open circuit court seats.  Before running for judge, she worked at Holland & Knight working on commercial litigation and fighting crime at the U.S. Attorney's Office in Jacksonville.  One of her most prominent cases as judge was presiding over the Julie Schenecker murder trial and the Trevor Dooley "stand your ground" trial. Moody concluded Dooley did not have cause to invoke stand your ground. Judge Moody has endorsements from Sheriffs from around the state and present Attorney General, Pam Bondi.  Moody’s vision is to continue the work of Pam Bondi with reducing the Opioid epidemic, eliminating Pill Mills, and Human Trafficking.  In addition, her priorities include; Protecting consumers against scams, identity theft, cyber crimes and price goughing, combat violent criminals and drug traffickers, vigorously prosecute elder abuse, support law enforcement officers and their mission to keep us safe, protect the Constitution and uphold the laws of our state and to prioritize mental health reforms.  The “scope” of the Attorney General responsibilities is vast but it is a position she feels she can make a difference.  She feels that the Justice system is under attack right now and needs to be fair and consistent with many changes needed.  She wants to work for better solutions to problems and to “have the back” of Law Enforcement.   -submitted by Mike Arndt

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