NY Attorney General Fights Fraud Against Servicemembers

Deanna Nelson is the Assistant Attorney General in charge (AAGIC) of a two-person regional office in Watertown, N.Y. The office is located close to the 10th Mountain (Light Infantry) Division at Fort Drum. In addition to her numerous duties as the AAGIC of the Watertown office -  representing state agencies, overseeing charitable organizations, affirmative litigation and other matters - Deanna has taken it upon herself to fight for young military personnel who are away from home for the first time and all too often fall victim to a bewildering array of sophisticated, private equity funded consumer scams. This fight has led to several nationally recognized settlements on behalf of servicemembers and their families. 

The effort to protect military personnel from consumer frauds continues. On March 22, AG Schneiderman, joined by members of the NY AG Consumer Protection Division, announced yet another settlement in what is obviously a nationwide scam. Freedom Stores Inc., a chain of electronics and furniture stores catering to military personnel, agreed to settle claims for illegal debt collection practices against servicemembers in New York. In 2014, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, along with North Carolina and Virginia, reached a settlement with Freedom Stores for the same abusive practices.

The fact is that protecting our dedicated servicemembers requires a large-scale, coordinated effort between federal and state law enforcement officials. Let's hope that the CFPB can continue to work with AG's all over the country to protect our military personnel from consumer fraud.

• Press Release, New York Attorney General's Office, A.G. Schneiderman Announces $540K Settlement With Retailer For Defrauding Over 250 Soldiers In NYS (March 22, 2017).
   
• See, Charley Hannagan, NY Attorney General: Store that cheated soldiers agrees to wipe out their debts, Syracuse.com (March 22, 2017).
   
• See, Press Release, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, CFPB and States Take Action Against Freedom Stores for Illegal Debt Collection Practices Against Servicemembers (Dec. 18, 2014).

Connecticut Intervenes to Protect Enhanced Federal Emission Standards

Connecticut Attorney General George Jepsen and his staff are continuing their opposition to federal regulatory roll backs by going to court to stop the Trump Administration from weakening federal vehicle emission standards.

According to a statement released on March 17, by filing a Motion to Intervene in the D.C. Court of Appeals in a pending case originally brought by auto manufacturers to block Obama Administration's emission standards, Connecticut hopes to allow the case to continue when the Trump Administration follows through on its promise to "undo the significant progress made toward safeguarding our clean air."

• Press Release, Connecticut Attorney General's Office, Statement from AG Jepsen on Trump Roll-back of Vehicle Emission Standards (March 17, 2017).
   
• See, Daniela Altimari, Jepsen Will Help Lead Legal Challenges to Trump Policies, Hartford Courant (Jan. 29, 2017).

Sabin Center and StateAG.org Launch Environmental Action Database

In the face of a reduced federal presence, Columbia Law School's Sabin Center for Climate Change Law, in partnership with StateAG.org, has produced a valuable legal research tool for those interested in environmental law and policy. The State AG Environmental Action Database includes a variety of environmental lawsuits and other actions involving state attorneys general. Users can search its contents by state, issue or type of action. The database also includes links to relevant documents and resources.

This impressive database has been put together by dedicated Columbia Law School students under the supervision of Jessica Wentz, who serves as Staff Attorney and Associate Research Scholar for the Sabin Center.

I cannot overstate the importance of this effort. It is the only place where this information has been brought together in a coherent, organized fashion. The database will remain a "work in progress" as AG offices provide more cases to be uploaded. Notwithstanding the efforts by some in Washington DC, this database is demonstrable proof that state attorneys general remain vigorous protectors of our environmental heritage.

• State AG Environmental Action Database
   
• See, Press Release, Columbia Law School, Sabin Center and StateAG.org Launch Environmental Action Database (March 13, 2017).

Maryland Legislature Expands State AG Authority - Finally!

The Maryland Legislature has finally gotten around to giving that state's outstanding AG - Brian Frosh - the authority that is enjoyed by almost every other AG, e.g. the authority to protect and defend the public interest by exercising his or her own best legal judgement without the approval of the Governor or the Legislature. This initiative finally consigns to the historical dustbin a wrongly decided 1984 decision by the Maryland Supreme Court.

As the Rhode Island Supreme Court said in 2008, "the holder of that high office (state attorney general), as distinguished from the usual advocate, has a special and enduring duty to seek justice." State of Rhode Island v. Lead Industries Association Inc., et al., 951 A.2d 428 (R.I. 2008). 

Residents of Maryland can now be assured that their attorney general will now work to "seek justice" for them. And other attorneys general around the country can now fully welcome Maryland into their midst.

• Maryland Defense Act of 2017
   
• See, Josh Hicks, Maryland lawmakers give AG blanket authority to sue Trump administration, Washington Post (Feb. 15, 2017).