Scott’s new state attorney appointee Peter Antonacci says he won’t run in fall
by George Bennett | March 9th, 2012
Antonacci
Antonacci, a Republican, said this morning that he does not plan to run for a full four-year term in the fall.
That’s good news for former Democratic state Sen. Dave Aronberg, the only candidate who has opened a 2012 campaign for the job.
Antonacci, 63, is a former statewide prosecutor and deputy attorney general who now works as a lawyer and lobbyist for the powerhouse Gray Robinson firm in Tallahassee. McAuliffe, elected in 2008, is leaving next Friday to take a job with billionaire Bill Koch‘s Oxbow Carbon.
“Pete’s distinguished legal career and experience as a prosecutor in complex cases has earned him a well-deserved reputation throughout the state,” Scott said in a press release. “I am confident he is well qualified to serve as State Attorney for the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit.”
Scott originally received 11 applications for the appointment by a Feb. 22 deadline. But on Wednesday night, the governor’s office announced it was reopening the process for less than 24 hours. Antonacci submitted his application Thursday. He said he met with Scott to talk about the job last week.
“I’m very pleased to have the opportunity to serve the people,” Antonacci said in an interview. Though he’ll be in the job for less than a year, he said: “There’s no such thing as an interim or acting state attorney. There’s only one kind of state attorney and that’s the kind that has the authority to prosecute cases in the name of the state…There’s not going to be anything ‘acting’ about what I do. I’m there to take the responsibility of the job seriously.”
Antonacci said he has spoken to McAuliffe about the office and plans to be in Palm Beach County next week to get up to speed. Antonacci said he also plans to establish residence in Palm Beach County.
March 12th, 2012 at 10:45 am
Very glad to hear that someone not connected to this area is filling this post…Hoping Mr. Peter brings a broom to sweep up and Corruption in the State especially the Palm Beach county Sheriff’s office, we could only “pray”!
April 18th, 2012 at 12:25 pm
These 2 are corrupt as they come. Aronson should be brought before the ethics commission for trying to suppress , a well qualified candidate from running against his pawn Aronberg who he can dictate to. Aronberg is totally unqualified.He and his gay mafia headed by Edmondson who he will immediately bring into the state attorneys office so he can run the show to cover for Aronbergs inexperience.
The Democatic party in Palm Beach County is corrupt and an embarrassment. They single handily supported and
encouraged Aronberg to run against McAuliffe, an excellent state attorney who would not be influenced by their threats and should have run as a unopposed incumbent. Shame on the Democratic Party and poor citizens of Palm Beach
County if Dave(unqualified) Aronberg is elected. Thank you Randi Schultz for you inciteful editorial