Dave Aronberg (born May 4, 1971) is the
State Attorney
In the United States, a district attorney (DA), county attorney, state's attorney, prosecuting attorney, commonwealth's attorney, or state attorney is the chief prosecutor and/or chief law enforcement officer representing a U.S. state in a loc ...
for
Palm Beach County, Florida
Palm Beach County is a county located in the southeastern part of Florida and lies directly north of Broward County and Miami-Dade County. The county had a population of 1,492,191 as of the 2020 census, making it the third-most populous county ...
and a former member of the
Florida Senate
The Florida Senate is the upper house of the Florida Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Florida, the Florida House of Representatives being the lower house. Article III, Section 1 of the Constitution of Florida, adopted ...
. He was elected to the Senate in 2002 as its youngest member and served for eight years. He is a
Democrat
Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to:
Politics
*A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people.
*A member of a Democratic Party:
**Democratic Party (United States) (D)
**Democratic ...
.
Prior to serving in the Senate, Aronberg worked as a lawyer in both the public and private sectors. He was serving as the
Florida Attorney General’s “Drug Czar” in 2012 when he announced his candidacy for
Palm Beach County
Palm Beach County is a county located in the southeastern part of Florida and lies directly north of Broward County and Miami-Dade County. The county had a population of 1,492,191 as of the 2020 census, making it the third-most populous county ...
State Attorney
In the United States, a district attorney (DA), county attorney, state's attorney, prosecuting attorney, commonwealth's attorney, or state attorney is the chief prosecutor and/or chief law enforcement officer representing a U.S. state in a loc ...
. He was first elected to the office in November 2012 and re-elected without opposition on May 6, 2016.
Early life and career
Aronberg was born in
Miami
Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a East Coast of the United States, coastal metropolis and the County seat, county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade C ...
. He attended
North Miami Senior High School
North Miami Senior High School (NMSHS) is a public high school in North Miami, Florida, United States. Located at 13110 NE 8th Avenue, The school opened as Edward L. Constance Junior-Senior High School in 1951; with 1,500 students in 7th, 8th and ...
, and graduated from
Harvard College
Harvard College is the undergraduate college of Harvard University, an Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636, Harvard College is the original school of Harvard University, the oldest institution of higher lea ...
with a
Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four years ...
degree with honors in
Government
A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state.
In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government is a ...
in 1993. He then attended
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School (Harvard Law or HLS) is the law school of Harvard University, a private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest continuously operating law school in the United States.
Each class ...
, where he received a
Juris Doctor
The Juris Doctor (J.D. or JD), also known as Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D., JD, D.Jur., or DJur), is a graduate-entry professional degree in law
and one of several Doctor of Law degrees. The J.D. is the standard degree obtained to practice law ...
degree with honors in 1996.
After graduation, Aronberg worked for three years in the litigation department of the law firm,
Steel Hector & Davis LLP, in
Miami
Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a East Coast of the United States, coastal metropolis and the County seat, county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade C ...
and
West Palm Beach
West or Occident is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from east and is the direction in which the Sunset, Sun sets on the Earth.
Etymology
The word "west" is a Germanic languages, German ...
.
Holocaust Victims Insurance Relief
Aronberg took a leave of absence from the law firm for three months in 1998 to work for U.S. Senator
Bill Nelson
Clarence William Nelson II (born September 29, 1942) is an American politician and attorney serving as the administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Nelson previously served as a United States Senator from Flor ...
, who at the time was serving as Florida’s Insurance Commissioner.
Nelson and Aronberg worked together to investigate European insurance companies that refused to honor World War II era policies sold to victims of the
Holocaust
The Holocaust, also known as the Shoah, was the genocide of European Jews during World War II. Between 1941 and 1945, Nazi Germany and its collaborators systematically murdered some six million Jews across German-occupied Europe; a ...
.
Working with members of the
National Association of Insurance Commissioners
The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) is the U.S. standard-setting and regulatory support organization created and governed by the chief insurance regulators from the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and five U.S. territo ...
(NAIC), the investigation led to the establishment of the
International Commission on Holocaust Era Insurance Claims (ICHEIC) and the enactment of Florida's Holocaust Victims Assistance Act to ensure that insurance claims of Holocaust victims were expeditiously identified and properly paid, compensated, or returned.
Florida Assistant Attorney General - Economic Crimes
Aronberg worked as an Assistant Attorney General in the Economic Crimes Division of the Florida Attorney General's Office on two separate occasions. In 2000,
President Bill Clinton
William Jefferson Clinton (né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He previously served as governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and again f ...
selected Aronberg to be a
White House Fellow
The White House Fellows program is a federal fellowship program established via Executive Order by President of the United States Lyndon B. Johnson in October 1964, based upon a suggestion from John W. Gardner, then the president of Carnegie Corp ...
. After the Fellowship was completed in September 2001, Aronberg returned to the Economic Crimes Division.
Phone-Scam Psychic "Miss Cleo" and the Psychic Readers Network
Aronberg investigated late-night television celebrity,
Youree Harris, a/k/a "Miss Cleo," and the Psychic Readers Network for deceptive marketing practices. As part of the investigation, Aronberg obtained and released to the public a copy of Harris' California birth certificate, even though she was promoted as a shaman from Jamaica. Working with Florida and other states, the
Federal Trade Commission
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is an independent agency of the United States government whose principal mission is the enforcement of civil (non-criminal) antitrust law and the promotion of consumer protection. The FTC shares jurisdiction ov ...
fined Psychic Readers Network $5 million and forced it to cancel $500 million in customer bills.
White House Fellowship
In 2000, Aronberg was selected to be one of 15
White House Fellows
The White House Fellows program is a federal fellowship program established via Executive Order by President of the United States Lyndon B. Johnson in October 1964, based upon a suggestion from John W. Gardner, then the president of Carnegie Cor ...
from across the country. In this non-partisan position, he served in two presidential administrations as a Special Assistant to the
Secretary of the Treasury Department for international money laundering, including the laundering of terrorist assets.
He was part of a U.S. delegation to an international summit on money laundering at an
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) conference in
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
, anthem = '' Maju dan Sejahtera''
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, pushpin_map = Malaysia#Southeast Asia#Asia
, pushpin_map_caption =
, coordinates =
, su ...
in 2001.
Florida Senate
Aronberg was elected to the
Florida Senate
The Florida Senate is the upper house of the Florida Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Florida, the Florida House of Representatives being the lower house. Article III, Section 1 of the Constitution of Florida, adopted ...
in 2002 as its youngest member.
He served as the Chair of the Military Affairs and Domestic Security Committee, and also chaired the Everglades Restoration Committee, where he advocated for additional state and federal funds to protect and restore the “River of Grass.”
Domestic Security
As Chairman of the
Florida Senate
The Florida Senate is the upper house of the Florida Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Florida, the Florida House of Representatives being the lower house. Article III, Section 1 of the Constitution of Florida, adopted ...
’s Military Affairs and Domestic Security Committee, Aronberg led a rewrite of Florida's port security law to better protect Floridians from terrorist threats. Aronberg’s 2009 bill, signed into law by
Florida Governor
The governor of Florida is the head of government of the state of Florida and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor has a duty to enforce state laws and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Florida ...
Charlie Crist
Charles Joseph Crist Jr. (; born July 24, 1956) is an American attorney and politician who served as the 44th governor of Florida from 2007 to 2011 and as the U.S. representative for from 2017 to 2022. Crist has been a member of the Democratic ...
at a bill signing ceremony at Fort Lauderdale’s
Port Everglades
Port Everglades is a seaport in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, located in Broward County. Port Everglades is one of South Florida's foremost economic engines, as it is the gateway for both international trade and cruise vacations. In 2019, Port Eve ...
, matched Florida security law to the federal requirements. The bill received unanimous support from labor unions and maritime businesses, leading the Associated Industries of Florida’s Maritime Council to name Aronberg as “Legislator of the Year” for his work to improve port security while expanding Florida’s global position as a leading exporter.
Public Safety & Criminal Justice
Opioid Abuse
When Aronberg was elected to the Florida Senate in 2002, he followed up on his investigation of
Purdue Pharma
Purdue Pharma L.P., formerly the Purdue Frederick Company, is an American privately held pharmaceutical company founded by John Purdue Gray. It was owned principally by members of the Sackler family as descendants of Mortimer and Raymond Sackler ...
by calling attention to the growing
opioid crisis
The opioid epidemic, also referred to as the opioid crisis, is the rapid increase in the overuse, misuse/abuse, and overdose deaths attributed either in part or in whole to the class of drugs opiates/opioids since the 1990s. It includes the sign ...
. In 2010, the Florida legislature enacted legislation co-sponsored by Aronberg to regulate the pain clinic industry and to limit the dispensing of narcotics such as
oxycodone
Oxycodone, sold under various brand names such as Roxicodone and OxyContin (which is the extended release form), is a strong, semi-synthetic opioid used medically for treatment of moderate to severe pain. It is highly addictive and a commonly ...
.
Anti-Looting
In 2007, he was successful in passing an anti-looting law that increased penalties for specific thefts and burglaries committed after the Governor has declared a
state of emergency
A state of emergency is a situation in which a government is empowered to be able to put through policies that it would normally not be permitted to do, for the safety and protection of its citizens. A government can declare such a state du ...
.
Gang Violence
During 2007 and 2008, Aronberg pushed the Legislature to pass tough anti-
gang
A gang is a group or society of associates, friends or members of a family with a defined leadership and internal organization that identifies with or claims control over territory in a community and engages, either individually or collectivel ...
legislation. The language in Aronberg's proposal, which was enacted into law in 2008, increased penalties for
habitual offender
A habitual offender, repeat offender, or career criminal is a person convicted of a crime who was previously convicted of crimes. Various state and jurisdictions may have laws targeting habitual offenders, and specifically providing for enhanced o ...
s convicted of gang-related crimes and stiffened sanctions for
witness tampering
Witness tampering is the act of attempting to improperly influence, alter or prevent the testimony of witnesses within criminal or civil proceedings.
Witness tampering and reprisals against witnesses in organized crime cases have been a difficul ...
and harassment. The legislation also banned gang members from possessing
bulletproof vest
A bulletproof vest, also known as a ballistic vest or a bullet-resistant vest, is an item of body armor that helps absorb the impact and reduce or stop penetration to the torso from firearm-fired projectiles and fragmentation from explosions. T ...
s during the commission of a crime.
Sexual Violence
Aronberg sponsored a bill to eliminate the
statute of limitations
A statute of limitations, known in civil law systems as a prescriptive period, is a law passed by a legislative body to set the maximum time after an event within which legal proceedings may be initiated. ("Time for commencing proceedings") In m ...
for child victims of sexual abuse. His bill, SB 870, passed both the House and Senate unanimously and was signed into law by Governor Crist. The Florida Coalition Against Sexual Violence named Aronberg its “Legislator of Year” of 2010.
Consumer Protection & Privacy Rights
Regulating the Credit Counseling Industry
In 2004, Aronberg sponsored Florida’s Credit Counseling Services Bill (SB 2682), which limited the fees
credit counseling
Credit counseling (known in the United Kingdom as Debt counseling) is commonly a process that is used to help individual debtors with debt settlement through education, budgeting and the use of a variety of tools with the goal to reduce and ultima ...
and debt repair companies could charge consumers.
Video Voyeurism
In 2004, Aronberg proposed a bill to make video
voyeurism
Voyeurism is the sexual interest in or practice of watching other people engaged in intimate behaviors, such as undressing, sexual activity, or other actions of a private nature.
The term comes from the French ''voir'' which means "to see". A ...
a crime in Florida, which included the taking as well as the dissemination of the images.
Florida Attorney General Candidacy
In 2010, Aronberg made a bid for the office of Attorney General of Florida. Aronberg was unsuccessful in the primary.
Special Prosecutor for Prescription Drug Trafficking ("Drug Czar")
In early 2011, based on Aronberg’s work on opioid abuse,
Florida Attorney General
The Florida attorney general is an elected cabinet official in the U.S. state of Florida. The attorney general serves as the chief legal officer of the state and is head of the Florida Department of Legal Affairs.
The office is one of Florida's t ...
Pam Bondi
Pamela Jo Bondi (born November 17, 1965) is an American attorney, lobbyist, and politician. A Republican, she served as the 37th Florida attorney general from 2011 to 2019, the first woman elected to the office.
In 2020, Bondi was one of Presid ...
reached across party lines to appoint Aronberg to be Special Prosecutor for Prescription Drug Trafficking, or "Drug Czar."
Palm Beach County State Attorney
In January 2012, Aronberg announced his candidacy for Palm Beach County State Attorney. Aronberg won the office with 58% of the vote in the November 6, 2012 election and was re-elected without opposition on May 6, 2016.
As State Attorney, Aronberg leads a team of 120 prosecutors and 220 professional staff in five offices throughout Palm Beach County.
In 2016, Aronberg was elected as an officer of the National District Attorneys Association (NDAA) and subsequently re-elected in 2017. He led an NDAA working group that published a national report to advise prosecutors and legislators of best practices in addressing the opioid epidemic. In November 2016, Aronberg traveled to
Guantanamo Bay Naval Base
Guantanamo Bay Naval Base ( es, Base Naval de la Bahía de Guantánamo), officially known as Naval Station Guantanamo Bay or NSGB, (also called GTMO, pronounced Gitmo as jargon by members of the U.S. military) is a United States military base ...
as a representative of the NDAA to observe the prosecution of accused
Al-Qaida
Al-Qaeda (; , ) is an Islamic extremist organization composed of Salafist jihadists. Its members are mostly composed of Arabs, but also include other peoples. Al-Qaeda has mounted attacks on civilian and military targets in various countri ...
terrorist Abdul al Hadi al Iraqi. In 2016,
Florida Bar
The Florida Bar is the integrated bar association for the state of Florida. It is the third largest such bar in the United States. Its duties include the regulation and discipline of attorneys. The Florida Bar is also responsible for the governi ...
President Bill Schifino appointed Aronberg to the Florida Bar Board of Governors to represent government lawyers throughout the State. Aronberg was reappointed to two more terms by Florida Bar Presidents Michael Higer and Michelle Suskauer, respectively.
Task Forces
In early 2016, Aronberg launched a task force to protect seniors from scams.
Sober Homes Task Force
Aronberg’s most notable task force is his Sober Homes Task Force, which has helped to clean up the fraud and abuse in the drug recovery industry in
Palm Beach County
Palm Beach County is a county located in the southeastern part of Florida and lies directly north of Broward County and Miami-Dade County. The county had a population of 1,492,191 as of the 2020 census, making it the third-most populous county ...
, also known as "The Florida Shuffle."
Since October 2016, the Task Force has made more than 85 arrests for patient brokering and
insurance fraud
Insurance fraud is any act committed to defraud an insurance process. It occurs when a claimant attempts to obtain some benefit or advantage they are not entitled to, or when an insurer knowingly denies some benefit that is due. According to the ...
, and has led to new Florida laws and regulations that have become the model for other states.
Aronberg's efforts also convinced Google to restrict advertisements and improve screening for addiction treatment. The crackdown in rogue sober homes and corrupted drug treatment led to an approximate 40% decrease in opioid overdose deaths in Palm Beach County in 2018, compared to 2017. Aronberg's Task Force has received national attention for its work to combat the
opioid epidemic
The opioid epidemic, also referred to as the opioid crisis, is the rapid increase in the overuse, misuse/abuse, and overdose deaths attributed either in part or in whole to the class of drugs opiates/opioids since the 1990s. It includes the sign ...
, including a feature story on
Sunday Night with Megyn Kelly
''Sunday Night with Megyn Kelly'' was an American television newsmagazine hosted by journalist and former attorney Megyn Kelly.
The series premiered on NBC on June 4, 2017, as Kelly's first NBC News program since her departure to the division ...
on June 25, 2017, and a
60 Minutes
''60 Minutes'' is an American television news magazine broadcast on the CBS television network. Debuting in 1968, the program was created by Don Hewitt and Bill Leonard, who chose to set it apart from other news programs by using a unique styl ...
interview on September 30, 2018.
After testifying twice before Congress about federal laws that unwittingly incentive drug relapse over recovery, Aronberg launched
websiteto urge policymakers to "fix the Florida Shuffle."
Human Trafficking Task Force
In 2017, Aronberg formed a
Human Trafficking
Human trafficking is the trade of humans for the purpose of forced labour, sexual slavery, or commercial sexual exploitation for the trafficker or others. This may encompass providing a spouse in the context of forced marriage, or the extrac ...
Task Force with the
Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office
Palm most commonly refers to:
* Palm of the hand, the central region of the front of the hand
* Palm plants, of family Arecaceae
**List of Arecaceae genera
* Several other plants known as "palm"
Palm or Palms may also refer to:
Music
* Palm (ba ...
and federal officials. The Florida Attorney General appointed Aronberg to the Statewide Council on Human Trafficking to represent all state prosecutors.
Animal Welfare
Aronberg, who adopted his
basset hound
The Basset Hound is a short-legged breed of dog in the hound family. The Basset is a scent hound that was originally bred for the purpose of hunting hare. Their sense of smell and ability to ''ground-scent'' is second only to the Bloodhound.Har ...
, Cookie, from Big Dog Ranch Rescue in 2011, personally prosecuted a
felony
A felony is traditionally considered a crime of high seriousness, whereas a misdemeanor is regarded as less serious. The term "felony" originated from English common law (from the French medieval word "félonie") to describe an offense that resu ...
animal cruelty
Cruelty to animals, also called animal abuse, animal neglect or animal cruelty, is the infliction by omission (neglect) or by commission by humans of suffering or Injury, harm upon non-human animals. More narrowly, it can be the causing of harm ...
case for his first trial as State Attorney.
In recognition of his efforts to fight animal cruelty, Aronberg received the national Wings Award by the Pegasus Foundation for his contributions to
animal welfare
Animal welfare is the well-being of non-human animals. Formal standards of animal welfare vary between contexts, but are debated mostly by animal welfare groups, legislators, and academics. Animal welfare science uses measures such as longevity ...
.
First-Time DUI Offender Program
In 2013, Aronberg launched a unique first-time
DUI
Driving under the influence (DUI)—also called driving while impaired, impaired driving, driving while intoxicated (DWI), drunk driving, operating while intoxicated (OWI), operating under the influence (OUI), operating vehicle under the infl ...
offender program that is the only one of its kind endorsed by
Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD). Since the program’s inception, thousands of defendants have entered the program and very few have committed a DUI again.
The most well-known defendant to enter Aronberg's program was golfer
Tiger Woods
Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods (born December 30, 1975) is an American professional golfer. He is tied for first in PGA Tour wins, ranks second in men's major championships, and holds numerous golf records.
*
*
* Woods is widely regarded as ...
, whose 2017 DUI case made international news.
Corey Lewandowski Case
Aronberg gained national media attention during the
2016 Presidential Election when he announced he would not move forward with a battery charge against
Corey Lewandowski
Corey R. Lewandowski (; born September 18, 1973) is an American political operative, lobbyist, political commentator and author who is politically associated primarily with Donald Trump. He was the first campaign manager of Trump's 2016 presid ...
,
Donald Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021.
Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pe ...
's campaign manager.
Jupiter
Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun and the List of Solar System objects by size, largest in the Solar System. It is a gas giant with a mass more than two and a half times that of all the other planets in the Solar System combined, but ...
Police had charged Lewandowski with misdemeanor battery after former
Breitbart
''Breitbart News Network'' (known commonly as ''Breitbart News'', ''Breitbart'', or ''Breitbart.com'') is an American far-rightMultiple sources:
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
* syndicated news, opinion, and commentary website founded in mid-2007 b ...
reporter
Michelle Fields
Michelle Fields (born January 10, 1988) is an American political journalist who formerly wrote for ''The Huffington Post'', and was a reporter for ''Breitbart News'', as well as a Fox News contributor. After graduating from college, Fields was hi ...
alleged that he grabbed her after a Trump press conference on March 8 at Trump International Golf Club.
Nouman Raja Case
As State Attorney, Aronberg filed charges of manslaughter by culpable negligence and attempted first-degree murder with a firearm against
Palm Beach Gardens
Palm Beach Gardens is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, Palm Beach County in the U.S. state of Florida, 77 miles north of downtown Miami. , the population was 59,182. Palm Beach Gardens is a principal city of the Miami metropolitan area, whic ...
police officer Nouman Raja for the killing of 31-year-old musician and housing inspector, Corey Jones, a black man who had been waiting for help on a highway after his car broke down. On March 7, 2019, a jury found Raja guilty as charged, making him the first officer in Florida to be convicted of an on-duty shooting in 30 years. Circuit Court Judge Joseph Marx sentenced Raja to 25 years in prison.
Morning Joe
Aronberg has become a weekly guest on
MSNBC
MSNBC (originally the Microsoft National Broadcasting Company) is an American news-based pay television cable channel. It is owned by NBCUniversala subsidiary of Comcast. Headquartered in New York City, it provides news coverage and political ...
's
Morning Joe
''Morning Joe'' is an American morning news and liberal talk show, airing weekdays from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time Zone, Eastern Time on the cable news channel MSNBC. It features former Republican Congressman Joe Scarborough r ...
to discuss legal issues, particularly those related to the criminal justice system.
Personal life
In May 2015, Aronberg married Lynn Lewis, a former
Miami Dolphins cheerleader and now public relations professional, on
St. Pete Beach
St. Pete Beach (formerly called St. Petersburg Beach) is a coastal city in Pinellas County, Florida, Pinellas County, Florida. Known as a tourist destination, St. Pete Beach was formed from the towns of Pass-a-Grille, Belle Vista, St. Petersburg B ...
;
she is a convert to
Judaism
Judaism ( he, ''Yahăḏūṯ'') is an Abrahamic, monotheistic, and ethnic religion comprising the collective religious, cultural, and legal tradition and civilization of the Jewish people. It has its roots as an organized religion in the ...
.
They divorced in August 2017.
[
]
References
External links
Dave Aronberg - State Attorney
Dave Aronberg on Sunday Night with Megyn Kelly
Project Vote Smart - Senator Dave Aronberg (FL)
__FORCETOC__
{{DEFAULTSORT:Aronberg, Dave
Democratic Party Florida state senators
1971 births
Jewish American state legislators in Florida
Living people
Politicians from Miami
People from Palm Beach County, Florida
White House Fellows
Harvard Law School alumni
21st-century American Jews