News from 2024
Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco celebrates 30 years of DOJ Pride
Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco delivered remarks at the DOJ Pride 30th Anniversary Celebration and Awards Ceremony on June 17, 2024. Her speech highlighted the significant contributions of DOJ Pride members over the past three decades.
Attorney General charges man with dissemination and possession of child pornography
Chicago – Attorney General Kwame Raoul has charged a Brighton, Illinois man with dissemination and possession of child pornography. This case is part of Raoul’s ongoing collaboration with federal and local law enforcement agencies across Illinois to apprehend individuals who download and trade child pornography online.
Governor Walz signs Debt Fairness Act reforming medical-debt collection
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison today celebrated Governor Tim Walz’s signing of the Debt Fairness Act, which provides Minnesotans repaying debt, including medical debt, with more protections. These reforms include banning the automatic transfer of medical debt to one’s spouse, banning reporting medical debt to credit bureaus, and banning denying necessary medical care on the basis of unpaid bills.
Attorney General Marshall opposes DOJ's gag order request against President Trump
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall has joined a 24-state coalition urging the district court in Florida to deny the Biden Department of Justice’s request for a gag order against President Trump. The proposed gag order would prevent President Trump from speaking about the raid on his Mar-a-Lago home during an election campaign.
Attorney General's office convicts doctor in $70 million healthcare fraud scheme
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced that Dr. David Young, 61, of Fredericksburg, Texas, was convicted by a federal jury for causing the submission of more than $70 million in fraudulent health care claims. Young wrote fraudulent prescriptions for medically unnecessary orthotic braces and genetic tests for more than 13,000 beneficiaries and received $475,000 in illegal kickbacks from providers.
Drummond submits negotiated settlement on class-action lawsuit against ODMHSAS
OKLAHOMA CITY (June 18, 2024) – Attorney General Gentner Drummond announced a brokered settlement with plaintiffs' attorneys on a class-action federal lawsuit. The settlement aims to deliver long-delayed justice for crime victims and save the state millions of dollars by ensuring due process for criminal defendants deemed "not competent" to stand trial.
County courthouses to close on June 19 for Juneteenth holiday
In observance of the Juneteenth holiday, the following courthouses will be closed on Wednesday, June 19: Cavalier, Bottineau, Bowman, Divide, Eddy, Foster, Oliver, Richland, Steele, and Williams.
Attorneys general reach $700M settlement against J&J over misleading safety claims
Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador, along with 42 other attorneys general, has reached a $700 million nationwide settlement to address allegations related to the marketing of Johnson & Johnson’s baby powder and body powder products containing talc.
AG Campbell updates public accommodation guide focusing on LGBTQIA+ protections
Boston — Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell has released an updated “Protections Against Discrimination in Places of Public Accommodation” guide to ensure compliance with existing law and educate the public about their rights in public spaces, including gender-specific spaces like men’s and women’s restrooms. The guide now includes information on how the law protects those who identify as nonbinary and/or transgender.
Providence County Grand Jury indicts three individuals for various crimes
An indictment, information, or complaint is merely an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Drummond defends HB 4156 against DOJ challenge citing state sovereignty
OKLAHOMA CITY (June 17, 2024) – Responding to the U.S. Department of Justice lawsuit challenging House Bill 4156, Attorney General Gentner Drummond contends the Biden Administration’s opposition amounts to “speculative assumptions about how HB 4156 will be implemented, spurious legal conclusions about the law’s underpinnings, and fundamental misconceptions about a state’s sovereign rights and duties in a federalist system of government.”
Kansas AG sues Pfizer over alleged misleading COVID-19 vaccine claims
Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach has initiated legal action against Pfizer, alleging the company made misleading claims regarding its COVID-19 vaccine. The announcement was made at a press conference in Topeka, where Kobach was joined by Deputy Attorney General Fran Oleen, Assistant Attorney General Kaley Schrader, and Assistant Attorney General Melanie Jack.
Vermont Attorney General seeks public input on data privacy and social media use
Vermonters are being encouraged to share their thoughts and concerns regarding data privacy and their experiences as social media users. This call for public comments extends to parents and teachers of social media users as well. The feedback will be reviewed by the Attorney General’s Office, which may follow up with respondents via email.
Empresas agrícolas pagarán $470K por abuso sexual tras demanda civil
El Procurador General Bob Ferguson anunció que Greenridge Farms y Baker Produce, con sede en Pasco, pagarán $470,000 para resolver una demanda de derechos civiles sobre múltiples acusaciones de agresión sexual y acoso sexual por parte de un supervisor. Ferguson también alega que las empresas tomaron represalias contra las trabajadoras cuando denunciaron los hechos. Todo el dinero recaudado se destinará a las cuatro mujeres que denunciaron las agresiones, el acoso y las represalias.
Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board denies clemency for Richard Rojem Jr
OKLAHOMA CITY (June 17, 2024) - Attorney General Gentner Drummond made remarks following the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board's decision to reject clemency for death row inmate Richard Rojem Jr.
DOJ official reaffirms commitment to LGBTQI+ rights at pride event
Acting Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer delivered remarks at the DOJ Pride 30th Anniversary Celebration and Awards Ceremony on June 17, 2024. In his speech, Mizer highlighted the Department of Justice's ongoing commitment to protecting civil rights, particularly for the LGBTQI+ community.
Federal judge blocks Biden Administration's Title IX changes
Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti has issued a statement following a federal judge's decision to block the Biden Administration’s proposed changes to Title IX. The administration sought to replace existing language with what Skrmetti describes as a "social change agenda."
Justice Department secures settlements on ADA compliance for Texas county election websites
The Justice Department announced today that the Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Eastern, Northern, Southern, and Western Districts of Texas have secured settlement agreements with Colorado County, Runnels County, Smith County, and Upton County. These settlements resolve findings that the counties violated Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by maintaining election websites that discriminate against individuals with vision or manual disabilities.
Worcester dentist indicted in alleged $2 million Medicaid fraud scheme
Worcester — The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) announced today that a Worcester-based dentist and her dental practice were indicted last week in connection with a scheme to defraud the state’s Medicaid program, MassHealth, of more than $2 million.
Judicial branch addresses crisis over lack of appointed counsel
The events that unfolded on Russell Street in Auburn this past weekend are tragic. It is dangerous and short-sighted to blame the court for the horrific acts because it obscures the real nature of the problem: an insufficient number of attorneys willing to represent the rights of the accused. The crisis of lack of counsel has been developing for years; it will not disappear overnight. This is a systemic problem and one that all partners in the criminal justice system must work together to resolve rather than criticizing each other without offering a solution.