News from July 2008
AG Nixon isn't joining lawsuit against governor; seeks special counsel
Jay Nixon (D) JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (Legal Newsline)-Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon's office has asked a state judge name a special assistant attorney general to pursue a lawsuit against Gov. Matt Blunt over access to e-mail records.
Illinois AG: Publisher settles claims of being a bogus booster
Lisa Madigan (D) SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (Legal Newsline)-The Illinois attorney general's office has reached a settlement with an in-state company accused of selling advertising space it falsely claimed would help local school sports programs.
Lease-to-own company pays $150,000 settlement
Jerry Brown (D) SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Legal Newsline) - A lease-to-own company that claimed a 96 percent success rate in helping renters become owners is the latest target in California Attorney General Jerry Brown's quest to help Californians struggling from the bursting real estate bubble.
Justices refuse to reconsider $100 million tax ruling
Nevada Supreme Court building CARSON CITY, Nev. (Legal Newsline)-The Nevada Supreme Court has rejected a request by the state attorney general to reconsider its 6-1 ruling that food provided for free to casino patrons and some employees is tax exempt.
Missouri AG candidate's contribution shunned by fellow Democrat
Chris Koster (D) JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (Legal Newsline)-A Missouri candidate for the state Legislature says he has returned a $300 contribution from fellow Democrat state Sen. Chris Koster, who's running for attorney general.
Cuomo files criminal charges against apartment broker
Cuomo NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) - A company acting as an apartment broker on popular classifieds Web site Craigslist.org is in trouble with New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, who claims the company cheated 4,000 New Yorkers.
Blumenthal: Businesses better register
Blumenthal HARTFORD, Conn. (Legal Newsline) - The State of Connecticut collected more than $1 million in fines from out-of-state companies that did not properly register in fiscal year 2008.
Brown claims 'shocking new details' in Countrywide lawsuit
Brown SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Legal Newsline)-California Attorney General Jerry Brown upped the ante Thursday on his legal action against Countrywide Financial Corp. after discovering "shocking new details" about the company's deceptive business practices.
AGs welcome massive agreement with ISPs
Cuomo WASHINGTON, D.C. (Legal Newsline) - What started with New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo has spread across the rest of the country.
Scruggs scheme co-conspirator receives prison of choice
The federal prison in Forrest City, Ark. OXFORD, Miss. (Legal Newsline) - It was obviously never Sidney Backstrom's wish to be sentenced to prison, but he was recently sentenced to the prison he wished.
Blankenship's maid deserves unemployment, Justices rule
Blankenship
CHARLESTON, W. Va. (Legal Newsline) - Deborah May, former housekeeper for Massey Energy owner Don Blankenship, didn't quit her job voluntarily and deserves unemployment compensation, the West Virginia Supreme Court ruled last month.
Nevada justices deal win to property tax initiative
Nevada Supreme Court Building CARSON CITY, Nev. (Legal Newsline)-A proposed Nevada constitutional amendment to limit property taxes has moved closer to the November ballot after the state Supreme Court ruled that signatures calling for the initiative could be accepted.
At long last, shelter for animals harmed in hurricane on fast track
Jerry Brown (D) SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Legal Newsline)-In the days following Hurricane Katrina, donations to build an animal shelter in the town of Slidell, La., poured into a California non-profit called Noah's Wish.
CALA: Backers of W. Va. campaign finance bill hypocrites
Cohen CHARLESTON, W. Va. (Legal Newsline) - It looks like West Virginia's contentious election season of 2004 has not been forgotten four years later -- and its legacy is still causing controversy.
RadioShack settles with Texas AG for $630,000
AUSTIN, Texas (Legal Newsline)-National electronics retailer RadioShack Corp. has agreed to pay the Texas attorney general's office $630,000 to settle an investigation into the company's identity-theft protection practices.
W. Va. businesses harmed by fake letters, McGraw says
McGraw CHARLESTON, W. Va. (Legal Newsline) - West Virginia Attorney General Darrell McGraw continues to keep an eye on what goes in the mail.
Cuomo: Home loan discrimination may be industry-wide
Cuomo NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) - Those who received higher interest rates from a lender because of their race are receiving more than $900,000 in restitution thanks to New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo.
Goddard says special scholarship funding unconstitutional
Terry Goddard (D) PHOENIX, Ariz. (Legal Newsline)-The speaker of the Arizona House of Representatives lacks the authority to direct surplus House funds to the Arizona Department of Education to bankroll two scholarship programs, Attorney General Terry Goddard said Wednesday.
Study: Payday lenders skirt AG's warnings
Dustin McDaniel(D) LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (Legal Newsline)-A third of the payday lenders that Attorney General Dustin McDaniel ordered to close their doors have remained open, a study released Wednesday found.
Shannon still plannin', but has jump on Va. AG run
Shannon VIENNA, Va. (Legal Newsline) - The Democrat in Virginia's Attorney General's race said Tuesday that his money is piling up even quicker than his Republican counterparts'.