CLBR Segment 1: Maryland Attorney General Doug Gansler

Segment 1: Douglas Gansler
Maryland Attorney General
President of the National Association of Attorney Generals (NAAG)

Five Key Facts:

(1) Gansler is President of NAAG and has stated his intention to make online privacy his principal project during his tenure.

(2) As AG, Gansler established a statewide internet safety initiative focused on school-aged children, and continues to work on a nationally coordinated effort targeting sexual predators who use social networking websites to lure victims. To date, thousands of sexual predators have been removed from social networking sites as a result of this effort.

(3) Maryland has a thriving tech sector and both the D.C. suburbs and Baltimore were included in Forbes’ recent list of best cities for Tech Jobs and among top 10 of Forbes Geekiest Cities. See also CNBC’s Top 10 States for Technology and Milken Institute State Tech and Science Index.

(4) Election Results

Gansler was unopposed in both the primary and general election when he ran for reelection in 2010. Coming in second and third were write in candidates Jim Rutledge (300 votes) and Mickey Mouse (30 votes). Gansler is one of the top contenders for the open Governor’s seat in 2014.

(5) Biography:

Douglas F. Gansler was elected to a second term as the Attorney General of Maryland on November 2nd, 2010. In that election, he was the only statewide candidate in the nation to run unopposed in both the primary and general elections. Attorney General Gansler is President of the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) and served as Chair of the Democratic Attorneys General Association (DAGA) until accepting his post at the bipartisan organization.

Since taking office in 2006, Attorney General Gansler has focused on environmental, public safety, and consumer issues. He has distinguished himself by prosecuting polluters of the Chesapeake Bay, protecting consumers from various forms of fraud, and safeguarding the public from gangs, violent crime, and the underbelly of the internet.This work includes the largest air quality settlement of its kind in the history of the United States, a Maryland history-making water pollution penalty, and the largest civil penalty ever levied for an oil spill in Maryland. Attorney General Gansler has recovered more than 80 million dollars for Marylanders, fighting the kinds of fraud that destroyed the mortgage industry, plague the healthcare system, and cost the State. This work includes securing millions in foreclosure relief for Maryland families as well as the largest recovery in a healthcare fraud investigation in United States history. Additionally, Attorney General Gansler established the first-ever Attorney General Gang Prosecution Unit in Maryland and has spearheaded tougher domestic violence laws through his role as Co-Chair of Maryland’s Family Violence Council.

Attorney General Gansler also established a statewide internet safety initiative focused on school-aged children, and continues to work on a nationally coordinated effort targeting sexual predators who use social networking websites to lure victims. To date, thousands of sexual predators have been removed from social networking sites as a result of this effort.

Attorney General Gansler also has continued his long-standing commitment to civil rights, creating the first-ever Director of Civil Rights position in the Office of the Attorney General. For this work, as well as his successful efforts to increase diversity within his offices, Attorney General Gansler was awarded the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dream Keeper’s Award.

Prior to becoming Maryland’s Attorney General, Douglas Gansler served for eight years as the chief prosecutor in the largest jurisdiction in Maryland. Under his leadership, the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s office was the first in the country to fully implement community-based prosecution, becoming a nationwide model for effective crime-fighting programs. He also launched innovative and successful programs to fight gangs, punish criminals, and protect the public, including the first domestic violence dockets and first drug courts in the county, a first-in-the-state gang prosecution unit, the first Elder Abuse Task Force in Maryland to specifically target criminals preying on seniors, and the first internet crime unit in the State.

Prior to being elected State’s Attorney, Douglas Gansler served as an Assistant United States Attorney. From 1992 to 1998, he prosecuted over 1,000 cases involving almost every type of crime, including public corruption, hate crimes, narcotic trafficking, sex offenses, child abuse, economic crimes, gang-related violence, and homicides. In addition to his prosecutorial experience, Douglas Gansler practiced civil litigation with the law firms of Coburn & Schertler and Howrey & Simon. Attorney General Gansler began his legal career as a law clerk for the Honorable John F. McAuliffe, Judge on the Maryland Court of Appeals.

Douglas Gansler attended the University of Virginia School of Law and Yale University, where he graduated cum laude and was an All-Ivy, All–New England lacrosse player. He is married to Laura Leedy Gansler, a securities lawyer and noted author. Attorney General Gansler coaches both his sons, Sam and Will, in a variety of sports.