User:Greenhouseoutgasser/sandbox

Early life, education, and legal career

Born in Summit, New Jersey, Gansler attended Chevy Chase Elementary School in Montgomery County, Maryland, and then Sidwell Friends School, a Quaker school in the Washington, DC area, for grades 6-12. From Sidwell Friends School, Gansler went on to Yale University, where he was an All-Ivy, All–New England College lacrosse player, nurtured an interest in public service, and graduated cum laude. Gansler earned a law degree law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law. He was a law clerk to Hon. John F. McAuliffe, Judge on the Maryland Court of Appeals.

After clerking and working for a brief period as a real estate lawyer at a title company[1] and at the law firms of Coburn & Schertler and Howrey & Simon, Gansler became an Assistant U.S. Attorney, serving from 1992 to 1998. There he prosecuted, among others, the Georgian diplomat who killed a young woman while driving drunk near Dupont Circle.

Political Career

State’s Attorney for Montgomery County

In 1998, Gansler was elected State's Attorney for Montgomery County, Maryland, serving January 1999 to January 2007. While State's Attorney, he prosecuted several high-profile cases including the Beltway snipers, John Muhammad and Lee Boyd Malvo.[2] Under his leadership as State’s Attorney, the office was the first in the nation to fully implement community prosecution.[3] Gansler 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.[4]

On one occasion during the eight years he served as State’s Attorney, the Maryland Court of Appeals sanctioned him for impermissible public statements about a possible confession and possible plea in a high-profile case involving the brutal beating and murder of a Maryland jogger.[5] He was the first elected State's Attorney to be sanctioned by the court.[6] Legal commentators noted at the time that the Court of Appeals’ controversial decision would have a chilling effect on public safety and the public’s right to know, and that the decision failed to account for prosecutors’ affirmative responsibility to report to the public on the prosecutions they carry out on its behalf.[7] [8]

Attorney General of Maryland

Doug Gansler took the oath of office as Attorney General on January 2, 2007. Since being sworn in, Gansler has focused on environmental protection, consumer protection, public safety, and civil rights. 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.

He was elected to a second term on November 2nd, 2010, receiving 1.3 million votes. In that election, he was the only statewide candidate in the nation to run unopposed in both the primary and general elections.

Environmental Protection

Attorney General Gansler has been actively protecting the Chesapeake Bay, its tributaries, and Maryland’s other natural resources. He has secured the largest air quality settlement of its kind in the history of the United States,[9] a Maryland history-making water pollution penalty,[10] the largest civil penalty ever levied for an oil spill in Maryland,[11] and the largest asbestos penalty in Maryland history.[12] He has also secured $500,000 for water quality monitoring from an energy company that spilled hydraulic fracturing fluid into a tributary of the Susquehanna River, which feeds the Bay.[13] Attorney General Gansler continues to conduct an audit of the Bay’s tributaries on a quarterly basis to identify polluters and take appropriate action.

Along with these and other significant enforcement victories against polluters, Attorney General Gansler led the successful charge to have phosphates banned from dishwasher detergent[14] and arsenic banned from chicken feed,[15] and helped secure standing for environmental groups to sue polluters in State court.[16]

Attorney General Gansler has also successfully championed innovative energy solutions that strengthen the state economy while helping the environment, such as hotel room key cards that cut the lights and automatically reduce energy consumption when an occupant leaves a hotel room, lowering hotels' energy bills in the process.[17] He also laid the groundwork for the construction of a power plant to convert 500 million pounds of chicken manure into energy, potentially keeping the single largest source of nitrogen and phosphorus out of the Chesapeake Bay, while providing Maryland farmers with an additional source of revenue.[18]

Consumer Protection

Since taking office, Attorney General Gansler has fought various forms of fraud that are threatening home ownership, contributing to the ever-rising cost of healthcare, and undermining the financial security and well-being of Marylanders. This work includes an agreement with all the major car rental companies to end usurious refueling rates,[19] and a settlement with all four major wireless carriers requiring disclosure of the terms of cell phone insurance, potentially saving Marylanders over $40 million and Americans over $2.4 billion.[20]

Home Ownership Protection

In the fight against mortgage fraud, Gansler has recovered nearly $1 billion in relief and assistance for Maryland homeowners.[21] He has also been aggressive in going after predatory lenders,[22] foreclosure scammers,[23] unscrupulous contractors,[24] and others who have made home ownership difficult.[25] His efforts have recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for consumer victims.

Affordable Healthcare Protection

Gansler has also worked hard to keep consumers safe from healthcare scams. This work includes the largest recovery in a healthcare fraud investigation in U.S. history against a major pharmaceutical company that illegally marketed drugs at the expense of consumer safety.[26] It also includes multimillion dollar victories against healthcare providers who abused Medicaid at taxpayers’ expense,[27] and others that have preyed on the infirm.[28] Gansler has also advocated for better healthcare options for Marylanders, both through his Health Education and Advocacy Unit,[29] and through his leadership in supporting broader healthcare solutions like the Affordable Care Act.[30]

To promote the health and safety of Maryland teens, Attorney General Gansler has led the effort to limit youth access to alcohol and tobacco by combating the marketing practices of alcohol and tobacco companies that target younger consumers.[31] This work led to an agreement with two of the largest alcohol manufacturers to stop the production and distribution of alcoholic “energy” drinks,[32] as well as an agreement with one of the largest gas station franchises in the world to curb tobacco sales to minors at its 13,000 outlets across the United States.[33]

Internet Privacy

Recognizing that rapid developments in Internet technology and enterprise have created new and significant privacy risks for both consumers and corporations, Attorney General Gansler has led state and national efforts to protect online privacy. For example, he led a charge by 36 state attorneys general to demand accountability from the nation's largest provider of Internet services when it unilaterally changed its privacy policy. [34] He also brought an action against a major retailer for an online breach that led to the theft of consumer credit card data from 100 million transactions.[35]

Public Safety

Upon taking office, Attorney General Gansler established the first-ever Attorney General Gang Prosecution Unit in Maryland.[36] Attorney General Gansler co-chairs the statewide Human Trafficking Task Force[37] and has spearheaded tougher domestic violence laws through his role as Co-Chair of Maryland's Family Violence Council. [38] [39]

Attorney General Gansler also established a statewide Internet safety initiative focused on school-aged children,[40] shut down an online anonymous gossip site being used to torment young students, helped eliminate the online illegal adult services section of Craigslist,[41] and continues to work on a nationally coordinated effort targeting sexual predators who use social networking websites to lure victims. To date, tens of thousands of sexual predators have been removed from social networking sites as a result of this effort.[42] For this work, Attorney General Gansler received the Champion of Online Safety Award.[43]

Civil Rights

Attorney General Gansler has a long-standing commitment to civil rights. This is reflected in his creation of the first-ever Director of Civil Rights position in the Office of the Attorney General.[44] He set up a Voting Irregularities Task Force to address voter suppression issues in Maryland,[45] and a Campaign Finance Advisory Committee to explore ways to ensure fair participation in the electoral process.[46] He also published a groundbreaking report providing guidance on taser training protocols that is being used nationally by law enforcement,[47] and a report that assists Maryland's institutions of higher education in legally developing and maintaining diversity.[48] He continues to work for judicial election reform that will ensure diversity of the bench.[49] For this work, as well as his successful efforts to increase diversity both in the Montgomery County State's Attorney's Office and the Office of the Attorney General, Gansler was awarded the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dream Keeper's Award.[50]

Same-Sex Marriage

Gansler was the first statewide elected official in Maryland to support marriage equality.[51] In 2010, Gansler issued a legal opinion that clarified Maryland’s ability to provide full faith and credit to valid out-of-state same-sex marriages.[52] That opinion provided the underpinning for a subsequent Maryland Court of Appeals decision recognizing same-sex marriages from other states.[53] For his early and strong support of marriage equality, Attorney General Gansler received the Human Rights Campaign’s Ally for Equality Award.[54]

Maryland Co-Chair, Obama Presidential Campaign

During the 2008 presidential election, Gansler was the first statewide official in Maryland to support Barack Obama,[55] and went on to be the Maryland Co-Chair, with Representative Elijah Cummings, of Obama’s Presidential Campaign.[56]

President of the National Association of Attorneys General

Attorney General Gansler was elected to serve as President of the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) in 2012.[57] He served as Chair of the Democratic Attorneys General Association (DAGA)[58] until becoming President-Elect at the NAAG. He also has chaired NAAG committees on Youth Access to Alcohol, the Environment and Energy.[59]

As President of NAAG, Gansler has focused the organization’s attention on privacy in the Digital Age.[60] He has formed a Committee on Internet Privacy at NAAG to keep close watch on developments in the Internet space that affect consumers’ control over their information, and has spearheaded several efforts to hold accountable those who fail to properly respect consumer privacy online. For instance, he has called attention to companies that collect information from children in ways that appear out of compliance with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act.[61]

Personal Life

Gansler is married to his wife of 20 years, Laura Leedy Gansler, a securities lawyer and noted author.[62] He coaches both his sons, Sam and Will, in a variety of sports.

Gansler's father, Jacques Gansler, is Professor of Public Policy at the University of Maryland, College Park and former Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics.

A life-long community volunteer, Gansler founded a lacrosse league for underserved Baltimore inner-city youth, called Charm City Youth Lacrosse.[63] He has mentored at-risk area youth, served on the Montgomery County Commission on Aging, and co-chaired the NAACP Criminal Justice Committee.[64] For his work in establishing the Charm City Youth Lacrosse League, he received the “Innovator of the Year” award from Maryland's largest legal publication.[65]


References

  1. ^ "Douglas Gansler, Lawyer, Statewide Title Company". Spoke.com. Retrieved 2012-03-05.
  2. ^ Tallman, Douglas; Ford, C. Benjamin (August 2, 2006). "Gansler says sniper trial cost less than $2,000". Montgomery Gazette. Retrieved 2012-03-05.
  3. ^ Gansler, Douglas (2000). "Implementing Community Prosecution in Montgomery County, Maryland". Prosecutor. Retrieved 11 January 2013. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  4. ^ Gansler, Douglas. "Maryland Office of the Governor". Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  5. ^ "Attorney Grievance Commission v. Douglas F. Gansler" (PDF). September Term 2002. Misc. Docket AG No. 81. Retrieved 2012-03-05. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  6. ^ Hurley, Lawrence (13 November 2003). "Montgomery County State's Atty. reprimanded by Court of Appeals". Daily Record.
  7. ^ White, George (December 2003). "Public Reporting or Flashy Quotes? The Gansler Reprimand" (PDF). MDDC Press News. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  8. ^ "Gansler reprimanded by Court of Appeals". The Daily Record (Subscription required). November 11, 2003. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  9. ^ Press Release. "Maryland Department of the Environment, Attorney General Announce Settlement to Reduce Emissions from Out-of-State Power Plants."". Maryland Office of the Attorney General, October 9, 2007. Retrieved 14 January 2013.
  10. ^ Press Relese. "Constellation, BBSS to Pay Hefty Fine and Clean Up Contaminated Site in Anne Arundel County". Maryland Office of the Attorney General, October 1, 2007. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  11. ^ Lash, Steve (September 17, 2008). "ExxonMobil to Pay Maryland $4M for Gas Leak at Jacksonville Gas Station". The Daily Record. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  12. ^ Press Release. "Department of Environment, Office of Attorney General Obtain Largest-Ever Maryland Asbestos Penalty against Erie Vera LLC". Maryland Office of the Attorney General, May 7, 2010. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  13. ^ Wheeler, Timothy (June 14, 2012). "Gas Company to Give $500,000 in Fracking Spill Deal". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  14. ^ Rein, Lisa (March 23, 2007). "Maryland Takes Step to Clean Up Detergent."". Washington Post. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  15. ^ Gansler, Douglas (June 26, 2009). "It's Time to Ban an Arsenic Compound from Chicken Feed". Washington Post. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  16. ^ Editorial (March 18, 2009). "Setting a Greener Standard". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  17. ^ Bach, James (May 22, 2012). "Md. Law to Require Hotel Lights to Shut Off Automatically". Baltimore Business Journal. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  18. ^ Pelton, Tom (November 2, 2007). "Poultry Power Seen Saving Bay". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  19. ^ Rein, Lisa (June 12, 2008). "Gansler, Rental Car Firms Set Refuel Fee Limits". Washington Post. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  20. ^ Press Release. "Attorney General Gansler Announces Agreement with Major Wireless Carriers and Wireless Phone Insurance Provider". Maryland Office of the Attorney General, April 4, 2008. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  21. ^ Cho, Hanah (February 9, 2012). "Maryland Joins Nationwide Mortgage Settlement". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  22. ^ "Maryland Attorney General Doug Gansler Announces Wells Fargo Mortgage Settlement". Huffington Post. January 5, 2012. Retrieved 11 January 2013. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  23. ^ Rees, Nick (December 16, 2009). "Gansler Gains Victory in Foreclosure Case". Legal Newsline Legal Journal. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  24. ^ Press Release. "AG Gansler Issues Cease and Desist Order Against Contractors". Maryland Office of the Attorney General. Retrieved November 29, 2012.
  25. ^ Press Release. "Consumer Protection Division Orders Unregistered Home Builder to Pay Back More Than $835K". Maryland Office of the Attorney General. Retrieved August 30, 2012.
  26. ^ Press Release. "AG Gansler: Abbott Labs to Pay $1.5 Billion More for Medicaid Fraud". Maryland Office of the Attorney General, May 7, 2012. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  27. ^ Walker, Andrea K. (September 12, 2011). "Columbia Firm Settles $150M Fraud Case with Federal Government". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  28. ^ Rawlyk, Heather (December 28, 2012). "Woman Gets Probation for Pharmacy Scam". Capital Gazette. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  29. ^ Press Release. "AG Gansler's Health Education & Advocacy Unit Receives Significant Grant". Maryland Office of the Attorney General, September 12, 2012. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  30. ^ Poinski, Megan (January 15, 2012). "Maryland leads states backing federal health insurance law". MarylandReporter.com.
  31. ^ "Pushing 'Alcopops'". Washington Post, March 21, 2008. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  32. ^ "Md. Settlement with MillerCoors Sees End to Alcoholic Energy Drinks". Southern Maryland Online. December 21, 2008. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  33. ^ "A.G. Gansler Announces Agreement With Shell Oil to Curb Tobacco Sales To Minors". Baltimore Citybizlist. October 10, 2008. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  34. ^ Fermier, Steve (February 23, 2012). "Gansler Challenging Google on Privacy". WBAL.com. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  35. ^ Press Release. "Attorney General Gansler Reaches Settlement with TJX Companies, Inc". Maryland Office of the Attorney General, June 23, 2009. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  36. ^ Press Release. "Attorney General Gansler's First Legislative Session a Success". Maryland Office of the Attorney General, April 11, 2007. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  37. ^ "Human Trafficking". U.S. Department of Justice, updated December 6, 2012. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  38. ^ "Lt. Governor Brown, Attorney General Gansler Announce New Domestic Violence Laws". Maryland Office of the Governor, September 29, 2009. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  39. ^ "Governor's Family Violence Council Members". Maryland Office of the Governor. Retrieved 8 January 2013.
  40. ^ Press Release. ""Attorney General Gansler Announces Internet Safety Videos Now Available on Comcast On Demand". Maryland Office of the Attorney General, March 10, 2010. Retrieved 8 January 2013.
  41. ^ "Gansler Asks Craigslist to Drop 'Adult Services' Section". ABC2 News. August 30, 2012. Retrieved 8 January 2013.
  42. ^ Press Release. "MySpace to Turn Over Info on Thousands of Sex Offenders". Maryland Office of the Attorney General, May 21, 2007. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  43. ^ Press Release. "Attorney General Gansler Honored with Champion of Online Safety Award". Maryland Office of the Attorney General, May 13, 2009. Retrieved 8 January 2013.
  44. ^ Green, Andrew A. (January 12, 2007). "Longtime Activist to Fill State's New Civil Rights Post". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  45. ^ "Report of the Attorney General's Task Force on [[Voting]] Irregularities" (PDF). Maryland Office of the Attorney General, April 29, 2008. (PDF). Retrieved 11 January 2013. {{cite web}}: URL–wikilink conflict (help)
  46. ^ "Campaign Finance Report" (PDF). Maryland Attorney General’s Advisory Committee on Campaign Finance, January 4, 2011. (PDF). Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  47. ^ "Maryland Attorney General Releases Task Force Report on Electronic Control Weapons". Sexton Executive Security, December 24, 2009. (PDF). Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  48. ^ "Strengthening in Maryland Colleges and Universities: A Legal Roadmap" (PDF). Maryland Office of the Attorney General, March 2009. (PDF). Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  49. ^ "Clean Up Judicial Elections". Baltimore Sun. January 10, 2010. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  50. ^ "Award Recipients to be Lauded Friday for Efforts in Health Care, Business Growth and Education". Baltimore Sun. January 16, 2008.
  51. ^ "Two Sides Testify on Marriage Equality". Washington Post. February 15, 2008. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  52. ^ "Maryland to Recognize Gay Marriage from Other Places". Washington Post. February 25, 2010. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  53. ^ "Port v. Cowan" (PDF). No. 69, September Term, 2011. May 18, 2012. (PDF). Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  54. ^ Motsinger, John (November 2010). "Power Player". Baltimore Magazine.
  55. ^ "More Gansler/Brown Rumors". Washington Post. February 3, 2009. Retrieved 11January 2013. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  56. ^ "Cummings, Gansler to Be Co-Chairs of Obama's Maryland Campaign". The Daily Record. August 3, 2007. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  57. ^ "Md. AG Named President of National Association". CBS Baltimore. June 22, 2012. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  58. ^ "Douglas F. Gansler, Maryland."". DAGA. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  59. ^ "NAAG Standing Committees". NAAG. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  60. ^ "Internet Privacy is Focus of Gansler as Head of U.S. Attorneys General". MarylandReporter.com. July 18, 2012. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  61. ^ Press Release. "Attorney General Gansler Recognizes Changes to McDonald's Child-directed Website Attorney General Raised Questions about Online Privacy Protections for Kids". Maryland Office of the Attorney General, October 25, 2012. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  62. ^ Gansler, Laura Leedy (2003). Class Action: The Landmark Case that Changed Sexual Harassment Law. Random house. p. 400. ISBN 978-0-385-49613-1.
  63. ^ "The Marc Steiner Show". WEAA, May 23, 2012. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  64. ^ "Local Elections 2006". Washington Post. 2006. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  65. ^ "2009 Winners: Innovator of the Year". The Daily Record. 2009. Retrieved 11 January 2013.

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