Showing posts with label state attorney general. Show all posts
Showing posts with label state attorney general. Show all posts

Free Legal Clinic for Military Service Members and Veterans in Everett Sept 24

Saturday, September 14, 2019


The Washington State Attorney General’s Office of Military and Veteran Legal Assistance, in collaboration with volunteer attorneys and community partners, is hosting a free legal clinic for military personnel and veterans who need assistance with one of the following legal issues:
  • Will preparation
  • Driver's license reinstatement
  • Small claims assistance
  • Select family law matters
To qualify for services at the free legal clinic, military service members and veterans must live or be stationed in Washington, and must also meet financial eligibility requirements. More information about the clinic and other legal resources available to help military and veteran families is available on the Attorney General’s website.

Legal clinic services are being offered by appointment only and capacity is limited, so interested individuals should register as soon as possible. 

The first step in getting registered is completing the online Request For Civil Legal Assistance form. Once our office receives your request, we will review your information and contact you to let you know whether we can offer you an appointment.

In addition, if you are a licensed Washington State attorney interested in volunteering, there is still time to sign up! By volunteering, you will be honoring not only your profession, but also the men and women who have bravely served our country in uniform. 

More information about how legal professionals can contribute their time and talents to help serve Washington’s military service members and veterans is available here.

The legal clinic event is being held Tuesday, September 24, 2019 from 4pm to 7pm at VFW Post 2100, which is located at 2711 Oakes Avenue in Everett, WA.



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AG Ferguson: Judge sanctions Eyman, rules that $766,000 given to him are political contributions

Tim Eyman has another initiative
on the fall ballot. I-976.
On Friday, September 13, 2019, a Thurston County Superior Court judge sanctioned initiative promoter Tim Eyman and ruled that more than $766,000 given to Eyman are contributions in support of ballot initiatives, not “gifts” from supporters as Eyman has claimed.

This $766,000 is separate from Eyman’s alleged improper personal use of more than $300,000 in contributions made to political committees and concealment of more than $490,000 in contributions that prompted Attorney General Bob Ferguson's original lawsuit.

“Today was a good day for campaign finance transparency and a bad day for Tim Eyman,” Ferguson said. 
“The judge found that more than $766,000 in payments to Eyman are not ‘gifts’ as he has claimed, they are contributions in support of ballot initiatives. That is significant. The law requires that all contributions be reported to the public at the time they are made. 
"Mr. Eyman has never reported these contributions. He ignored the law, and shielded his contributors from public view. Translation — this means that Tim Eyman concealed more than $766,000 in campaign contributions and the state can and will seek additional penalties for every day he fails to report them.”

Judge James Dixon granted Ferguson’s motion for non-monetary sanctions against Eyman, agreeing that Eyman has “willfully and deliberately” continued to defy court orders compelling him to produce documents related to the case.

In his order, Judge Dixon found that $766,447 in funds deposited in Eyman’s accounts between February 2012 and July 2018 “are hereby found to be ‘contributions’ in support of ballot propositions … and not gifts.”

The Attorney General’s Office uncovered these contributions in bank records obtained after filing its lawsuit.

“In the 19 months that the Eyman Defendants have been held in contempt, they have failed to provide the information ordered by the Special Discovery Master and this Court, despite clear instructions on what exactly needed to be provided,” Dixon ruled.

Dixon’s decision noted that multiple previous orders and contempt sanctions against Eyman have not accomplished their purpose of compelling him to turn over documents. 

Eyman has racked up more than $236,000 in daily contempt sanctions related to discovery violations since February of 2018. 

The court originally ordered $250 per day in sanctions starting Feb. 16, 2018 while Eyman failed to provide the required information to the state. When Eyman continued his refusal to comply, the court doubled the daily penalty to $500 as of Sept. 7, 2018.

In July, Eyman was found in contempt a second time because of his refusal to disclose complete information related to hundreds of thousands of dollars of payments he solicited from individual donors.

In September of 2015, the Washington State Public Disclosure Commission (PDC) referred the Tim Eyman case to Attorney General Ferguson for enforcement. The chair of the PDC Commission described the case as “one of the most egregious the PDC has seen.”

In March of 2017, Ferguson filed the campaign finance lawsuit against Eyman, alleging improper personal use of more than $300,000 in contributions made to political committees, concealment of more than $490,000 in contributions and misleading reporting. Additional concealed contributions were discovered during the State’s investigation since then. The lawsuit also accuses Citizen Solutions of participating in a scheme to conceal campaign money the company funneled to Eyman.

Assistant Attorneys General Eric Newman, Todd Sipe and Paul Crisalli are handling the case.



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Attorney General: Immigration bond services company to provide more than $2.7 million in debt relief over English-only contracts

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Attorney General Bob Ferguson
Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced that Libre by Nexus, an immigration bond services company, will provide more than $2.7 million in debt relief and refund a total of $58,800 to Washington-based consumers. 

The resolution is a result of an Attorney General’s Office investigation into the company’s contract practices, which left clients confused about the monthly fees and obligations of Libre’s program.

Even though Libre advertised in Spanish and primarily communicated with its clients in Spanish, the company provided only contracts written in English, affecting more than 400 Washington consumers. 
Today’s resolution, filed in King County Superior Court, requires the company to transfer all Washington customers to an improved contract.

The Attorney General’s Office will distribute the refunds to eligible customers. Libre customers will receive a letter or phone call from the Attorney General’s Office if they are eligible for a refund. 

Washington consumers who believe they were impacted by Libre’s practices may also contact the Attorney General’s Consumer Resource Center at 1-800-551-4636. Calls will be answered Monday through Friday, 10am to 3pm.

“Libre by Nexus knew they were selling to Spanish-speaking clientele,” Ferguson said. “Its ads were in Spanish, its sales employees spoke Spanish — yet important legal documents were provided only in English. It’s no wonder many of those consumers were confused about the terms of the program. Any business with similar practices should expect to hear from my office.”

Ferguson encourages consumers affected by similar practices to file a consumer complaint. This form is also available in Spanish. Washington’s consumer protection laws protect everyone who lives in Washington state. The Attorney General’s Office helps all Washingtonians. The office is not part of the federal government and will not turn over information to immigration authorities.

Assistant Attorneys General Craig Rader and Marsha Chien led the case.



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Washington included in Equifax settlement - individuals can make claims

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

State Attorney General
Bob Ferguson

Attorney General Bob Ferguson, along with 49 other attorneys general, announced that credit-reporting agency Equifax will pay more than half a billion dollars because of a 2017 data breach affecting nearly 150 million individuals nationwide. This is the largest data breach enforcement action in U.S. history.

“Equifax handles Washingtonians’ personal data, and we expect them to keep that information safe,” said Ferguson. “This resolution holds Equifax accountable to the millions of individuals who had their information stolen.”

As part of resolutions to be filed with Washington, 49 other attorneys general, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Federal Trade Commission and private parties, Equifax will pay $175 million to the states and up to $425 million to affected consumers.

Washington will receive more than $3.7 million, which will go toward continued enforcement of state data security and privacy laws. If the number of consumers filing claims results in less than the maximum restitution payments from the nationwide fund, the Attorney General’s Office may use its payment to provide additional funds to Washingtonians.

The Attorney General asserts that Equifax’s failure to protect Washingtonians’ information violated the state Consumer Protection Act.

Affected Washingtonians can submit a claim online, or request a paper form to send by mail here or by calling 833-759-2982. To receive email updates regarding the launch of this online registry, consumers can sign up here. The resolution proposes that the nearly 150 million individuals affected by the breach can request free credit monitoring provided by Equifax and reimbursement for:

  • time spent trying to avoid or recover from identity theft, up to 20 total hours at $25 per hour;
  • money spent trying to avoid or recover from identity theft, including fees to freeze or unfreeze credit, professional identity theft services costs or postage; and
  • reimbursement of $125 for those who already have credit monitoring and decline the credit monitoring services offered as part of the resolution.The proposed restitution is subject to the court’s approval.

Equifax will provide free credit monitoring to affected individuals for ten years. Individuals under 18 years old at the time of the breach will receive 18 years of free credit monitoring.

In addition to free credit monitoring, affected individuals who become victims of identity theft may be eligible for free services to help restore their identity.

For at least five years, all consumers can request two additional credit reports from Equifax every 12 months at no cost. Federal law allows individuals to request one free report every 12 months.

Equifax is required to put technical safeguards in place to protect personal information and complete independent, third-party compliance assessments for the next six years.

Washington was a member of the executive committee in the multistate investigation. Assistant Attorneys General Shidon Aflatooni and Tiffany Lee are lead attorneys on the case for Washington state.



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Attorney General's suit against Premera ends in $10 million nationwide settlement

Friday, July 12, 2019

State Attorney General
Bob Ferguson

As a result of an Attorney General’s Office investigation, Premera Blue Cross, the largest health insurance company in the Pacific Northwest, will pay $10 million nationwide for failing to secure sensitive consumer data and for misleading consumers before and after a data breach affecting millions across the country. 

Attorney General Bob Ferguson led a coalition of 30 state attorneys general investigating the company’s practices.

The data breach affected the information of more than 10.4 million individuals nationwide, including more than 6.4 million Washingtonians. 

Under the consent decree, filed today in Snohomish County Superior Court, Premera will pay $5.4 million of the total recovery to the Washington State Attorney General’s Office, which will go towards continued enforcement of state data security and privacy laws, and nearly $4.6 million to the coalition of states that joined Ferguson’s legal action.

Premera’s $10 million payment to the states is in addition to any payment from the proposed class action settlement, which was filed in federal court in Oregon but not yet finalized by the court.

The consent decree also legally requires Premera to implement specific data security controls to protect personal health information, annually review its security practices and provide data security reports to the Washington State Attorney General’s Office.

“Premera had an obligation to safeguard the privacy of millions of Washingtonians — and failed,” Ferguson said. 
“As a result, millions had their sensitive information exposed. Premera repeatedly ignored both its own employees and cybersecurity experts who warned millions of consumers' sensitive health information was at risk.”

More details here



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Bob Ferguson: Trump administration puts plan to allow off-shore drilling on hold

Wednesday, May 1, 2019

This shell oil rig was being towed to Seattle for repairs.
The plan was to allow these off the Washington coast to drill
Photo copyright Marc Weinberg


Attorney General Bob Ferguson issued the following statement Monday after the Trump Administration announced that it is putting on indefinite hold its plan to open more than 90 percent of all federal waters to offshore drilling, including off the coast of Washington state.

Ferguson had threatened to sue if the Administration moved forward with the proposal.

“The Trump Administration recognized that if it went forward with its unlawful and dangerous plan to drill for oil and gas off of our coast, it would lose in federal court — again,” Ferguson said. 
“We warned President Trump and Secretary Zinke that we would take legal action if they threatened our coast with oil drilling. They backed off, but this Administration has demonstrated it cannot be trusted. 
"I will continue to keep watch until the Trump Administration abandons this plan entirely. This proposal is a needless threat to our economy and our untamed, awe-inspiring Washington coastline. Our beaches and coastal forests are an integral part of Washington’s identity, and they should remain that way for generations to come.”

Background

The Trump Administration announced a draft plan to sell offshore drilling leases in the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic in January of 2018 in areas covering about 90 percent of the outer continental shelf. Several days later, the Administration’s then-Secretary of the Interior, Ryan Zinke, granted Florida an exemption from the offshore lease sales.



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Johnson and Johnson to pay state $9.9 million for deception over surgical mesh devices

Tuesday, April 23, 2019

Attorney General Bob Ferguson’s office today announced that Johnson and Johnson will pay $9.9 million to avoid going to trial for misrepresentations and failure to include serious risks in the instructions and marketing materials for surgical mesh devices.

Ferguson is the first state attorney general to file a lawsuit against Johnson and Johnson regarding surgical mesh devices.

Approximately 14,000 Washington women had these devices implanted. While precise information is not available, the Attorney General’s Office believes hundreds of those have been adversely impacted so far, ranging from having to go back for another procedure, to having their quality of life impacted dramatically.

The trial was scheduled to begin today.

In May 2016, Ferguson filed a lawsuit against Johnson and Johnson asserting that the multi-billion dollar corporation violated Washington’s Consumer Protection Act by failing to include several serious, life-altering risks associated with its surgical mesh devices in materials for patients and doctors.

Washington women experienced pain, suffering, and life-altering complications that Johnson and Johnson knew were associated with its devices, including chronic pain, pain with sexual intercourse, and numerous urinary issues. Furthermore, the mesh is very difficult and sometimes impossible to remove.

To avoid trial, Johnson and Johnson will pay $9.9 million. Today, Ferguson announced the payment will be used to assist women who received pelvic mesh implants. This is in addition to any recovery they receive in a personal injury lawsuit. Many lawsuits have been filed across the country regarding these devices.

Assistant Attorneys General Daniel Allen and Breena Roos are lead attorneys on the case, assisted by Assistant Attorneys General Katharine Barach, Heidi Anderson, Beth Howe, Patricia Bower and Jeffrey Grant.



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Seattle Times: Washington AG and Tim Eyman to square off in court over years of alleged campaign finance violations

Friday, April 5, 2019

Bob Ferguson, the State Attorney General, will meet Tim Eyman in court this Thursday.

Serial initiative-filer Tim Eyman has laundered political donations through out-of-state charities, pocketed hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign donations, refused to comply with campaign-finance laws and lied to his donors and to the public about it, state Attorney General Bob Ferguson alleges in recently filed court documents.
Eyman says Ferguson is trying to violate his First Amendment rights.




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Toss the Tusk

Wednesday, April 3, 2019

On Saturday, April 6, the Woodland Park Zoo is hosting an event in conjunction with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) to offer a secure and legal way to donate items made from endangered animal parts.

WDFW officials will be on hand at the zoo between 10am and 2pm to accept donated items covered by the Washington Animal Trafficking Act.

Drop off your items at the Woodland Park Zoo's South Gate entrance (Hippo lot). You will not need to enter the zoo to reach the drop-off area.

You can part with items made from endangered animal parts that you no longer wish to own, such as trinkets, trophies and household decor. 10 of the world's most illegally traded endangered species include: elephants, rhinos, tigers, lions, leopards, cheetahs, pangolins, marine turtles, sharks and rays.

Woodland Park Zoo, 5500 Phinney Ave N, Seattle 98103.

On Tuesday, Attorney General Bob Ferguson filed the state’s first-ever criminal charges under a voter-approved initiative banning the sale or transfer of products made from certain endangered species.

Ferguson separately charged Donald Frank Rooney of Everett and Yunhua Chen of Seattle with one count each of first-degree unlawful trafficking in species threatened with extinction for allegedly selling items containing elephant ivory using online listings.



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Service Employees International Union Leadership Council 14 to pay up to $250,000 plus fees to settle lawsuit from Attorney General's office

Wednesday, February 20, 2019

The Attorney General’s Office announced Wednesday that the Service Employees International Union Leadership Council 14, also known as SEIU Washington State Council, will pay up to $250,000 to resolve the Office of the Attorney General’s campaign finance lawsuit.

The judgment, filed in Thurston County Superior Court, requires SEIU Council 14 to pay $233,205 in civil penalties with $104,942.25 suspended for four years contingent on no violations in that period, as well as $18,300.85 in costs and fees.

After receiving a Citizen Action Notice in April of 2017, the AGO determined Council 14 made significant campaign contributions but failed to register and report as a political committee in at least 2014 and 2016.

The AGO filed a complaint against the council in July of 2017.

Washington law requires registration of a political committee when a person has the expectation of receiving contributions or making expenditures to support or oppose candidates or ballot propositions. The law requires these committees to regularly report information to the Public Disclosure Commission about sources of contributions, starting with those over $25. Political committees must also regularly report information about their activities, including expenditures, debts and in-kind contributions.

While Council 14 has its own registered political committee, the council itself also acted as a political committee by devoting a majority of its annual expenditures to electoral political activity during 2014 and 2016.

The Council contributed directly to ballot proposition committees, in addition to contributing to its own political committee, SEIU Washington State Council PAC, which in turn contributed to committees that supported or opposed candidates. SEIU Washington State Council PAC reported the contributions from the council.

By failing to register and report as a political committee, Council 14 did not disclose its contributions or expenditures as required by law, nor did it report the sources of these contributions.

The Attorney General’s Office did not uncover evidence suggesting these violations were intentional.

Attorney General Bob Ferguson recused himself from the matter.

Senior Assistant Attorney General Linda Dalton and Assistant Attorney General Todd Sipe are handling the case.

The recoveries in this case will go into the state Public Disclosure Transparency Account as required by law. The Attorney General’s Office has recovered more than $650,000 for the Transparency Account since it was created by the Legislature last year.



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AG Ferguson updates student loan survival guide

Thursday, January 31, 2019

Download the Survival Guide
AG-requested Student Loan Advocate now available to help borrowers

OLYMPIA — Attorney General Bob Ferguson today released an updated Student Loan Survival Guide, which provides tips and resources for those impacted by student loans, including high school students thinking about taking out student loans, former college students making repayments and parents who cosigned loans.

Among updates to the guide is information about the new Student Loan Advocate at the Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC), a position created by AG-request legislation last year.

The advocate is now available to help student loan borrowers understand the terms of their loans and options available to them, such as loan forgiveness and deferment.

Students can contact the advocate directly by calling (833) 881-0397, sending an email to LoanAdvocate@wsac.wa.gov or visiting the website.

More information on the office’s student loan work is available here.


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Attorney General sues multi-level marketing business LuLaRoe as a pyramid scheme

Sunday, January 27, 2019

LuLaRoe leggings
OLYMPIA — Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced a lawsuit against multi-level marketing business LuLaRoe and several of its “home office” executives, alleging that the company’s former bonus structure constituted a pyramid scheme.

The lawsuit also asserts that LuLaRoe’s claims regarding sustainability, profitability and inventory refunds are unfair and deceptive.

Ferguson asks the court to require LuLaRoe and its executives to stop its unlawful actions.

If the court rules that LuLaRoe violated the law, the Attorney General’s Office will seek the maximum penalties of $2,000 per violation, as well as costs, fees and other relief.

Ferguson also will seek restitution for affected Washington consumers, but the total amount of restitution the office will seek is still undetermined.

“LuLaRoe tricked consumers into buying into its pyramid scheme with deceptive claims of high profits and refunds for unsold merchandise,” said Ferguson. “Instead, many Washingtonians lost money and were left with piles of unsold merchandise and broken promises from LuLaRoe. It’s time to hold LuLaRoe accountable for its deception.”

LuLaRoe is a California-based multi-level marketing business that sells leggings and other apparel. The company is made up of individual retailers who sell the company’s clothing, referred to as “Independent Fashion Consultants.” New consultants must be recruited and sponsored by existing LuLaRoe retailers.

File a complaint

Consumers who have had a difficult time returning unsold inventory to LuLaRoe for a refund or have had other issues with the company can contact the Attorney General’s Office Consumer Resource Center at 1-800-551-4636 or file a complaint online.




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AG Ferguson obtains more than $7M in student debt relief for thousands of Washingtonians from for-profit college

Sunday, January 13, 2019

OLYMPIA — More than 3,000 Washingtonians will receive more than $7.6 million in debt relief from Career Education Corporation (CEC), a for-profit higher education company, as part of Attorney General Bob Ferguson’s legal action over the company’s use of deceptive practices to attract potential students.

The most debt relief an individual Washington student will receive is $59,000. The median amount of debt relief is $1,463.

In addition to debt relief and other injunctive terms, the company is legally required to disclose to prospective students accurate information about cost, graduation rates, job placement rates and median debt for graduates.

“Student borrowers victimized by deceptive recruitment practices deserve loan relief and legal protection,” Ferguson said. “My office will hold accountable any for-profit college that tries to take advantage of the aspirations of Washington students.”

Students do no need to take any action to receive relief. CEC will notify all eligible students of their debt relief within 60 days. Former students with questions about their eligibility may contact CEC.

CEC misled students about the total costs of enrollment at its institutions. The company did not disclose that some of the programs lacked the necessary professional accreditation, leaving students unable to obtain employment or the licensing they needed to continue in their fields.

The company also misrepresented the job placement rates of past graduates. When calculating job placement rates, CEC included graduates who only worked temporarily — even as little as one or two weeks — or were employed in a field unrelated to their degree.

CEC told students that credits from their institutions could be transferred to other institutions. In reality, it was very difficult or impossible for students to transfer to a non-CEC school.

The company owned two physical locations in Washington, both located in Tukwila. Some Washingtonians may still be attending CEC schools through online programs.

Today’s resolution is a result of a multistate investigation into CEC’s deceptive and misleading practices. Washington and 47 other states investigated the company’s recruitment practices and found that CEC misrepresented the cost of attendance, graduation rates, expected future salaries for graduates and job placement rates. CEC will forgo collecting more than $493.6 million in debts owed by nearly 175,000 students nationwide.

Assistant Attorney General Craig Rader handled the case for Washington.

To assist student loan borrowers in Washington, the Attorney General's Office has compiled a Student Loan Survival Guide. This guide provides tips and links to resources to help high school students thinking about attending college, former college students who are not able to keep up with their payments, parents of students and everyone in between.



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Attorney General Bob Ferguson wants to hear from Washingtonians impacted by last month’s statewide 911 outage

Wednesday, January 9, 2019

Attorney General
Bob Ferguson
Attorney General Bob Ferguson wants to hear from Washingtonians impacted by last month’s statewide 911 outage

Ferguson asks Washingtonians impacted by the outage to share their stories by emailing them to 911outage@atg.wa.gov.

The more than 12-hour 911 outage, which occurred between Dec. 27 and 28, was the second lengthy statewide outage of the emergency call system managed by CenturyLink since 2014.

“For the second time, CenturyLink has fallen short of its obligation to provide reliable 911 services for Washingtonians,” Ferguson said. 
“If you called for help during this outage, only to be met with a busy signal, please share your story with my office. We want to know exactly how CenturyLink’s failure impacted the people of our state.”

In the wake of a six-hour 911 outage in 2014, Ferguson urged the state Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) to impose the maximum regulatory penalty of $11.5 million against CenturyLink. 

Among other testimony filed with the commission, Ferguson presented the story of Alicia Cappola, an Everett mother, who was home with her 5-year-old twins and was forced to arm herself with a kitchen knife to ward off an intruder after 37 unsuccessful attempts to get through to 911.

The UTC fined CenturyLink just short of $2.9 million for the outage.

Ferguson was “deeply disappointed” in the fine, which was a quarter of the maximum penalty he pushed for.

“Bottom line – CenturyLink is getting off with a slap on the wrist,” Ferguson said when the UTC announced its decision in 2016.

If you were impacted by the most recent 911 outage in December, email your story to 911outage@atg.wa.gov. You may or may not be contacted for follow up.

The Office of the Attorney General is the chief legal officer for the State of Washington with attorneys and staff in 27 divisions across the state providing legal services to roughly 200 state agencies, boards and commissions.



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AG Ferguson issues statement after joining brief challenging Whitaker’s authority

Monday, November 26, 2018

 Ferguson and 14 other AGs supporting Maryland’s request to sideline acting US Atty General Whitaker


Attorney General Bob Ferguson issued the following statement today after joining an amicus — friend of the court — brief supporting the State of Maryland’s challenge to the constitutionality of Matthew Whitaker’s appointment as Acting U.S. Attorney General:

“Once again, President Trump is ignoring the law, this time by ‘appointing’ an illegitimate attorney general,” said Ferguson. “This must be challenged.”

The brief, signed by 14 other Attorneys General, supports Maryland’s request to block Whitaker from exercising the authority of the U.S. Attorney General’s office, or to substitute Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein in his place. The Attorneys General point out that Whitaker’s appointment is “fraught with constitutional doubts.”

“The legal controversy surrounding Mr. Whitaker’s appointment has threatened the legitimacy of the Department’s actions and the vital relationship between the Department and the States,” the Attorneys General write. 
“The Amici States therefore have an urgent interest in a lawful resolution of this issue, so that no doubts surround the legitimacy and authority of the Office of the U.S. Attorney General.”

Earlier this month, Ferguson and 17 other Attorneys General urged Whitaker to recuse himself from Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. Whitaker has made widely circulated public statements criticizing the Special Counsel’s investigation.



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AG Ferguson files briefs challenging President Trump’s national monument reductions

Wednesday, November 21, 2018

Part of the Bears Ears National Monument
Photo courtesy Bureau of Land Management


Washington leads multistate effort to defend over 2 million acres of protected land in Utah


Attorney General Bob Ferguson filed two amicus — or “friend of the court” — briefs today, challenging President Trump’s proclamations to drastically reduce the size of Grand Staircase-Escalante and Bears Ears National Monuments in Utah.

The briefs were filed in two lawsuits over President Trump’s attempt to eliminate 85 percent of the land in Bears Ears and approximately half in Grand Staircase-Escalante from the monuments. The President’s action, which Ferguson argues is illegal, would effectively rescind a national monument for the first time in U.S. history.

In Ferguson’s amicus briefs to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, Washington and 10 other states assert that the monument reductions overstep presidential authority and upend the purpose of the Antiquities Act of 1906, which delegated authority to the President to preserve the nation’s archeological, historic and scientific resources as national monuments. They also argue President Trump’s rescissions upset the relationship between the states and the federal government regarding managing federal lands within states’ borders.

“President Trump does not have the power to unilaterally revoke national monuments,” Ferguson said. “My office is committed to defending these national treasures in Washington state and throughout the country.”

In May 2017, Ferguson sent a letter to Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke, opposing the rollback of national monument protections and declaring his intent to file a lawsuit if President Trump targeted monuments in Washington, such as Hanford Reach National Monument.

Although the Trump Administration did not take action against Washington’s monuments, in December 2017, President Trump proclaimed he would reduce the size of both Grand Staircase-Escalante and Bears Ears National Monuments. This prompted five lawsuits that were subsequently consolidated into two, one addressing each national monument. President Trump responded by filing a motion to dismiss the cases.

The U.S. District Court has not yet set a date for oral argument.

The State of Washington is home to two presidentially created monuments, Hanford Reach and San Juan Islands, and one congressionally created monument, Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument.

Ferguson’s briefs were joined by California, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island and Vermont.

Assistant Attorneys General Bill Sherman and Kelly Wood and Special Assistant Attorney General Aurora Janke with the Counsel for Environmental Protection are handling this case on behalf of the Attorney General’s Office.

Protecting the environment is one of Ferguson’s top priorities. In 2016, he created the Counsel for Environmental Protection to protect our environment and the safety and health of all Washingtonians.

Washington has yet to receive an adverse ruling in cases where the Attorney General has led an amicus brief. Washington has led amicus briefs in support of 11 cases against the Trump Administration, and has been on the side of the prevailing party five times. In six cases, a decision has not been issued.

Ferguson has filed 32 lawsuits against the Trump Administration and has not lost a case. Ferguson now has 15 legal victories against the federal government since President Trump assumed office. Nine of those cases are finished and cannot be appealed. The Trump Administration has appealed or may appeal the other six, which include lawsuits involving Dreamers, 3D-printed guns and the transgender military ban.


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AG Ferguson’s 15th consecutive legal victory against federal government forces FERC to hand over public records

Monday, November 19, 2018

FERC will pay $23,500 in response to Ferguson’s lawsuit over FOIA request

As a result of Attorney General Bob Ferguson’s lawsuit, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has provided hundreds of pages of communications not previously made public, including documents that show commissioners privately considered a proposal that would have subsidized coal- and nuclear-based power. FERC must pay $23,500 in attorney costs and fees to the Washington State Attorney General’s Office.

This is Ferguson’s 15th consecutive legal victory against the federal government since President Donald Trump took office. The state of Washington has not lost a case against the federal government since January 2017.

In November 2017, the Attorney General’s Office submitted a federal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request asking for emails, text messages and other written communications among FERC commissioners during a tumultuous time at the agency. The request covered periods in which FERC failed to have a quorum, failed to hold any public meetings, and considered a proposal from the Department of Energy that would have subsidized coal- and nuclear-based power and upended energy markets. Ferguson’s request sought to make the commission’s communications available to the public.

“The public has a right to know what their officials are doing,” said Ferguson. “Transparency is an essential part of our democracy. It’s unfortunate we had to take the federal government to court to get the answers we deserve.”

Over several months in 2017, FERC failed to hold any public meetings on the issues it considered. One request from the Department of Energy proposed subsidizing coal and nuclear power, which Ferguson asserts would have upended energy markets. Despite the impact this request could have had on the majority of U.S. residents, the commission did not hold public meetings for several months, preventing the public from knowing which proposals the commission considered.

On Nov. 22, 2017, Ferguson submitted a FOIA request for all communications among commission members from Nov. 1, 2016 through Nov. 22, 2017. A response from the federal commission was due by Dec. 27, 2017. The Attorney General’s Office waited for several weeks after the deadline passed, but did not receive the requested materials or any communication from the commission.

When the Attorney General did not receive any documents, he filed a lawsuit, asking the court to require FERC to provide all communications required under the federal Freedom of Information Act.

As a result of Ferguson’s lawsuit, FERC has provided all requested communications (found here). The Attorney General’s Office will determine if further action is necessary.

Counsel for Environmental Protection chief Bill Sherman is leading the case. In 2016, Ferguson created the Counsel for Environmental Protection to protect our environment and the safety and health of all Washingtonians.

Ferguson has filed 32 lawsuits against the Trump Administration and has not lost a case. Ferguson now has 15 legal victories against the federal government since President Trump assumed office. Nine of those cases are finished and cannot be appealed. The Trump Administration has appealed or may appeal the other six, which include lawsuits involving Dreamers, 3D-printed guns and the transgender military ban.

No court to rule on the merits of the Attorney General’s arguments in a lawsuit against the Trump Administration has ruled against Washington state.



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Fraud: Fallen Hero Bracelets deceives and attacks consumers

Saturday, November 17, 2018

Friday, Pierce County Superior Court Judge Kathryn Nelson granted Attorney General Bob Ferguson’s motion for a preliminary injunction against Spanaway-based Fallen Hero Bracelets, the Benjamin Foundation and other organizations run by Michael Friedmann.

The injunction forces the organizations to cease operations until they register with the Secretary of State and provide financial reports for each year of their existence.

It also bars them from engaging in abusive conduct toward any past or present customers. The companies also must notify all customers who have been sued, threatened with collections or sent to collections that these efforts against them will cease, and provide those communications to the Attorney General’s Office.

“Not only did Fallen Hero Bracelets deceive consumers into thinking their purchases benefited veterans, it made verbal and legal attacks on customers who complained," said Ferguson. 
"Despite a lawsuit from my office and numerous complaints from duped consumers, the organization continued to pretend that its sales went toward improving veterans’ lives. Thankfully, today’s ruling will help put a stop to this organization's atrocious actions.”

Ferguson filed a lawsuit against Fallen Hero Bracelets and Friedmann in July. A hearing on a preliminary injunction against Friedmann personally is set for Nov. 30. Assistant Attorney General David Horn is leading this case.

Consumers who have issues with any charity or business should file a complaint with the Attorney General’s Office.



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Fundraising breakfast benefiting CHS features special guest Attorney General Bob Ferguson

Thursday, October 11, 2018


Breakfast Meeting with Special Guest
Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson


Center for Human Services invites you to a fundraising breakfast on Tuesday morning, November 13, 2018 at the Shoreline Community College Theatre.

Center for Human Services is a community‐based nonprofit youth and family services agency that has been a resource to children, youth, adults and families since 1970.

Your ongoing support is vital to our success and we want to share with you our current successes and goals for 2019 and beyond.

Executive Director, Beratta Gomillion will share some exciting developments about our programs and services, and ask you to be a part of our journey.

Attorney General Bob Ferguson
Featured Guest, Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson, has been a champion of CHS for many years.

As the state’s chief legal officer, Bob is committed to protecting the people of Washington against powerful interests that don’t play by the rules.

We are excited Mr. Ferguson has made time in his busy schedule to speak with u

Shoreline Community College Theatre
16101 Greenwood Ave N, Shoreline, WA
Tuesday Morning – November 13, 2018
7:30am – 8:30am, includes Networking and Light Breakfast
Doors open at 7:15am
Although this is being presented free of charge thanks to event sponsors, please preregister so organizers know how much to prepare. Space is limited!

Please register HERE 

This is a fundraising benefit to support the services provided by Center for Human Services in our community. Although donations of any size will be appreciated, we hope to raise at least an average of $100 per attendee.

If you are unable to attend, you can still donate! Please visit HERE and click the link for Online Donation Form.

PS – SAVE THE DATE! CHS Annual Gala and Auction will be on Saturday, April 13, 2019 at the Lynnwood Convention Center.



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Court orders estate-planning company to immediately halt deceptive “trust mill” practices

Tuesday, August 28, 2018

State Attorney General
Bob Ferguson
CLA Estate Services, Inc. and CLA USA, Inc. made millions deceptively selling estate-planning services, annuities in a scheme targeting Washington seniors

Following a lawsuit by Attorney General Bob Ferguson, a King County Superior Court judge issued a preliminary injunction ordering an estate-planning company to immediately halt its deceptive conduct. The lawsuit asserts the Texas-based company operated a “trust mill” scheme targeting hundreds of Washington seniors.

On March 8, Ferguson filed a lawsuit against CLA Estate Services, Inc., CLA USA, Inc., and Mitchell Johnson, a former CLA agent.

The suit asserts that CLA held misleading estate-planning seminars and sold financial products to Washington seniors without adequately disclosing that these products could lock up their assets for years and carried hefty penalties for early withdrawal. 

These products made CLA millions in commissions at substantial cost to consumers.

After Ferguson filed the lawsuit, CLA issued a statement claiming, “CLA customers have the peace of mind knowing that they have a valid, legal estate plan in place to handle their affairs upon incapacitation or death.”

“CLA targeted seniors with their deceptive scheme, the opposite of giving them ‘peace of mind,’” Ferguson said. “They made millions through their trust mill scheme. This court ruling puts an immediate halt to CLA’s misleading and unlawful conduct.”

Judge Michael Scott today granted an order for preliminary injunction, which prevents CLA from conducting estate-planning seminars and prevents both CLA and Johnson from marketing annuities to seniors who have purchased CLA’s “Lifetime Estate Plan” while the lawsuit progresses.

In order to obtain the injunction, the state had to show that its case was likely to succeed and that CLA’s deceptive conduct harms consumers.

The company invited seniors to attend free workshops about estate planning. During the workshops, CLA salespeople encouraged participants to set up living trusts and buy CLA’s “Lifetime Estate Plan” packages.

In reality, the ultimate goal was to obtain detailed financial information to sell complex financial products seniors did not understand. The “Lifetime Estate Plan” packages included a referral to an attorney and annual review meetings, where insurance agents, under the guise of reviewing the estate plans, attempted to sell life insurance and annuities.

The annuities lock up seniors’ retirement savings, allowing them to make only nominal withdrawals during a deferral period, typically 10 years, without incurring high surrender penalties. Many seniors incurred substantial penalties for early withdrawal of funds they needed for living expenses.

CLA agents including Johnson did not adequately disclose the terms of the annuities to clients. Johnson and other agents also provided investment advice to seniors without being registered to do so.

For example, after falsely representing that he was an investment advisor, Johnson convinced a senior to transfer $600,000 held in stocks and an IRA to purchase an annuity. Johnson lied about the senior’s assets on her annuity application and failed to advise her of the surrender penalties and tax consequences she would incur if she withdrew funds early. She was ultimately charged over $37,500 in surrender penalties for withdrawals she made to pay her living expenses and help her family.

On one annuity application, a CLA agent misrepresented a couple’s assets as including a second home worth $75,000. However, the couple owned no real estate other than their mobile home and the land it was on. The agent convinced the couple to convert their retirement savings into annuities, without informing them that the annuities would cost them more in charges than they would earn in interest.

Today’s ruling prevents CLA Estate Services from holding estate-planning seminars in Washington, marketing or gathering information for estate planning documents, marketing annuities or other insurance products to CLA clients, and unfairly or deceptively marketing annuities or other insurance products to any Washington consumers. The injunction applies statewide. CLA operates in at least 35 states.

CLA can still sell annuities to individuals who are not “Lifetime Estate Plan” clients, but cannot continue their deceptive practices. They can also continue their annual review meetings with clients in Washington state, but cannot use these meetings to sell annuities or any other insurance product.

Assistant Attorneys General Trisha McArdle and Cindy Alexander are handling the case for the Attorney General’s Office.



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