With their candidate trailing in the polls with less than a week to go in their race for Attorney General, the Florida Democratic party today unveiled a new, two minute web ad that focuses on the anger of a Louisiana woman previously involved in a legal battle with GOP candidate Pam Bondi regarding a dog that the Louisiana family lost after Hurricane Katrina that Bondi had possession over.

The story was big in the Tampa Bay area in 2006, and St. Pete Times Political editor Adam Smith spoke with Dorreen Couture about her bitterness about her feelings towards Bondi a week after the GOP primary in September.

But only now, just days away before the election, are the Democrats making an issue over it, with Couture starring in the new ad.

Florida Democratic party chair Karen Thurman, speaking in South Tampa this morning, says she herself only became familiar with the tale recently while in Tampa, and felt it was worth telling the story.

"Since I've been in Tampa the last couple of days there was a conversation that I had with some folks that have said, 'why are we not talking about Pam Bondi's past. What did she do?'" Thurman said she learned about the 2006 tale, and said that in her opinion, it was "very devastating on somebody's integrity and character."

Naturally, unveiling such an ad with less than a week to go could spur some to think the Gelber campaign is desperate, and literally going to the dogs in breaking this issue out now. When asked why now, Thurman said she herself had only heard of the legal tussle recently, and felt it was relevant to the race. "I think it's important for people to see what kind of Attorney General we would have potentially with somebody who would go to the ends that she did to stop from reuniting dogs with two kids that were orphaned."

Bondi's spokeswoman, Sandi Copes, blasted the ad, telling CL:

Dan Gelber and The Democratic Party have hit a desperate new low today and are in “everything and the kitchen sink” mode to try and shrink Bondi’s continuing lead over Gelber in the election for Attorney General.

Pam, like many caring people in our state, adopted a dog that was abandoned during the tragic times surrounding Hurricane Katrina. After a year of caring for her new pet, a woman came forward to claim the dog. Pam's had concerns regarding the care and well being of her adopted pet and took the time and actions necessary to ensure that he would be in the hands of the rightful owners and would be well taken care of.

Once again Dan Gelber has broken all of his own campaign promises and has resorted to dirty campaigning and political tricks to try and win this election. His behavior is shameful, and calls into question that he has the integrity necessary to be Florida’s Chief Legal Officer.

Dan Gelber's campaign manager, Christian Ulvert, said "This is something that captured national headlines in 2006. They got this information and she (Thurman) felt compelled as Chair of the Democratic Party to expose the type of Republican candidates that the RPOF is putting out there. This is a story that Pam Bondi brought on herself. This is not us bringing to light something that didn't happen, this happened, and Pam Bondi brought this on."

See ad below: