Pittsburgh attorney Heather Heidelbaugh announces run for attorney general

Former Allegheny County councilwoman and Pittsburgh attorney Heather Heidelbaugh said Tuesday she will run for Pennsylvania Attorney General in 2020.

Heidelbaugh, 61, was elected to council’s at-large Republican seat in 2010 and chose not to run again after one term. She is a partner at Leech Tishman in Pittsburgh’s Downtown.

She accused Attorney General Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, of “headline chasing” in a release announcing her run. She did not point to any specific headline but rather called Shapiro a “show dog.”

“Here’s the bottom line,” she said. “When you’re an attorney, you can choose to represent your client, go to court, put your head down, be humble, do the right thing. Or, you can be kind of a show dog.”

Shapiro could not immediately be reached for comment.

Heidelbaugh said her wide-range of trial experiences makes her will-suited for the job.

“The attorney general is the lawyer of the people,” she said in a statement. “I’ve spent 35 years of my life honing my skills in all areas of the law – from establishing a homeless clinic in Pittsburgh in 1990, to representing Fortune 50 companies, standing up for the injured, the wrongfully sued, the rich, the poor, and even a rocket scientist.”

She touted instant endorsements from U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Lehigh Valley, and former Sen. Rick Santorum.

“She shares our values and respects the rule of law,” Toomey said of Heidelbaugh. “Her decades of legal experience in the courtroom and her passion for fighting for people from all walks of life set her apart in this race.”

Heidelbaugh said she suspects Shapiro intends to run for reelection in 2020 and then toss his hat into the 2022 governor’s race. His attention would be divided, she said.

“If I should win, I will spend four years doing the people’s business,” she said.