Would it surprise anyone if the Dave Aronberg vs. Dan Gelber primary ended up being decided by a few thousand, maybe even a few hundred votes? In such a razor-close race, any advantage either candidate can leverage may make all the difference.
Dave Aronberg may be handed such an advantage by a story that has been developing today (which, yes, I did have a role in promoting) that Dan Gelber’s position with Akerman, Senterfitt would represent a major conflict of interest were he to win the attorney general’s race — so much so that Gelber would have to recuse himself from any lawsuit his AG office would bring against BP, which hired Akerman to represent it in the oil spill claims process.
John Frank has more on this issue.
As for the political precedent that may have served as a warning to Gelber, look to Attorney General Eric Holder’s decision to recuse himself after the U.S. government filed suit against the Swiss bank UBS AG, which Holder had represented during his time in private practice.
