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Vetting No Hurdle For U.S. Attorney Hopeful Albritton

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By BILLY HOUSE

The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 11, 2008

WASHINGTON - Government ethics officials have reported no significant ethical hurdles or conflicts of interest that should prevent A. Brian Albritton of Tampa from becoming the next U.S. Attorney for Florida's Middle District.

As of Thursday, the Senate Committee on the Judiciary had not set a date to consider Albritton's nomination by President Bush, which was announced last month to fill a nearly year-and-a-half-old vacancy.

But documents filed with the committee - including those from the U.S. Office of Government Ethics and the Justice Department's own ethics office - show that Albritton has undergone extensive vetting. He already has agreed to take several steps to assure he avoids potential conflicts of interest.

Other information in the papers range from details of Albritton's personal finances to the cases and activities he considers the most significant of his legal career.

Albritton, 51, a lawyer with Holland and Knight, included on his lists:

• Being the lead lawyer for Army Sgt. Jeffrey Rondeau, charged in a spy case with others stationed in West Germany in the mid-1980s for allegedly providing to Czech agents NATO's defensive plan in the event of a Soviet invasion. Rondeau eventually pleaded guilty and was sentenced in 1994 to 18 years in prison.

• Being the lawyer for former WTVT, Channel 13, reporter-anchor Secily Wilson, who was accused in 1998 of kicking and scratching a Florida state trooper after a traffic stop for speeding. She was found not guilty of resisting arrest.

• Proving in late 2000 - after the highly charged presidential election - that allegations were not true that a maker of a cognac brand used alcohol and free cognac as an illegal incentive to entice blacks to vote.

Albritton now has two cases involving the U.S. Attorney's Office; he plans to recuse himself from those matters.

Upon his confirmation, Albritton also would be required to resign his position as an equity partner at Holland and Knight.

Additionally, Albritton must resign as director of the Hillsborough County Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and as president of the Tampa chapter of the Federal Bar Association.

Albritton also will not be able to participate personally or substantially in activities or matters of the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Tampa, where his wife, Joo Hooi Ong Albritton, is gifts and grants coordinator. The couple have two children.

Senators remain on their August break from Washington, and committee spokeswoman Erica Chabot said the judiciary panel has not determined its schedule upon returning in September. There is no certainty of how soon the committee might get to Albritton.

If confirmed, Albritton would fill a vacancy dating from March 2007, when former U.S. Attorney Paul Perez resigned. Interim U.S. Attorney Robert E. O'Neill did not apply for the permanent appointment.

Even if approved by the committee and then the full Senate (which is likely because he is supported by both of Florida's senators, Democrat Bill Nelson and Republican Mel Martinez), Albritton could be looking at a short tenure in office.

Though Bush described the position as a four-year term, it is customary for a new president - particularly if a member of an opposing party - to be able to nominate his or her own candidates for U.S. Attorneys. So most U.S. Attorneys, if not all, would likely be asked to resign early next year.

Reporter Billy House can be reached at (202) 662-7673 or bhouse@tampatrib.com.

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