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Statement of N.J. A.G. Davenport on Supreme Court Decision in Wolford vs. Lopez
TRENTON, New Jersey, June 26 -- New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport issued the following statement on June 25, 2026:
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Statement of Attorney General Davenport on Supreme Court's Decision in Wolford v. Lopez
"Today's decision in Wolford v. Lopez is the Supreme Court's latest dangerous blow to public safety.
This badly mistaken decision will make it harder for businesses open to the public to exclude guns from their property, putting additional burdens on them to keep their patrons safe. That outcome doesn't make anyone safer.
While the Supreme Court seems intent on making it
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TRENTON, New Jersey, June 26 -- New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport issued the following statement on June 25, 2026:
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Statement of Attorney General Davenport on Supreme Court's Decision in Wolford v. Lopez
"Today's decision in Wolford v. Lopez is the Supreme Court's latest dangerous blow to public safety.
This badly mistaken decision will make it harder for businesses open to the public to exclude guns from their property, putting additional burdens on them to keep their patrons safe. That outcome doesn't make anyone safer.
While the Supreme Court seems intent on making itharder for states to prevent gun violence, we won't back down from our efforts to keep the public safe.
I am proud that our office's leadership and the extraordinary coordination and enforcement efforts of New Jersey law enforcement have resulted in record-low levels of gun violence in New Jersey, and we will continue to use every tool we have to combat the gun violence epidemic."
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Original text here: https://www.njoag.gov/statement-of-attorney-general-davenport-on-supreme-courts-decision-in-wolford-v-lopez/
Statement From Md. A.G. Brown on Supreme Court Ruling in Wolford vs. Lopez
BALTIMORE, Maryland, June 26 -- Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown issued the following statement on June 25, 2026:
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Statement from Attorney General Brown on Supreme Court of the United States Ruling in Wolford v. Lopez
Attorney General Anthony G. Brown today issued the following statement after the Supreme Court of the United States issued a decision in Wolford v. Lopez, a case addressing whether state laws requiring gun owners to obtain advance permission before carrying firearms onto private property generally open to the public violate the Second Amendment.
Today, in a 6-3
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BALTIMORE, Maryland, June 26 -- Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown issued the following statement on June 25, 2026:
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Statement from Attorney General Brown on Supreme Court of the United States Ruling in Wolford v. Lopez
Attorney General Anthony G. Brown today issued the following statement after the Supreme Court of the United States issued a decision in Wolford v. Lopez, a case addressing whether state laws requiring gun owners to obtain advance permission before carrying firearms onto private property generally open to the public violate the Second Amendment.
Today, in a 6-3decision, the Supreme Court ruled that these laws violate the Second Amendment, striking down a commonsense approach that several states, including Maryland, have adopted to protect property owners and their communities.
"While the Second Amendment affords Marylanders the right to bear arms, that right has never meant guns must be allowed everywhere, regardless of the wishes of business owners or their communities.
But today's ruling allows firearms into the restaurants, stores, and public spaces Marylanders visit every day unless owners take steps to keep the guns out.
Marylanders are less safe when commonsense policies like this one are struck down. While we disagree with today's decision, keeping Marylanders safe remains my Office's top priority."
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Original text here: https://oag.maryland.gov/News/pages/Statement-from-Attorney-General-Brown-on-Supreme-Court-of-the-United-States-Ruling-in-Wolford-v.-Lopez-.aspx
Statement From Md. A.G. Brown on Supreme Court Ruling in Mullin vs. Doe and Trump vs. Miot
BALTIMORE, Maryland, June 26 -- Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown issued the following statement on June 25, 2026:
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Statement from Attorney General Brown on Supreme Court of the United States Ruling in Mullin v. Doe and Trump v. Miot
Attorney General Anthony G. Brown today issued the following statement after the Supreme Court of the United States issued a decision in Mullin v. Doe and Trump v. Miot, consolidated cases addressing whether Haitian and Syrian nationals living and working legally in the United States as holders of Temporary Protected Status are entitled to court orders
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BALTIMORE, Maryland, June 26 -- Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown issued the following statement on June 25, 2026:
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Statement from Attorney General Brown on Supreme Court of the United States Ruling in Mullin v. Doe and Trump v. Miot
Attorney General Anthony G. Brown today issued the following statement after the Supreme Court of the United States issued a decision in Mullin v. Doe and Trump v. Miot, consolidated cases addressing whether Haitian and Syrian nationals living and working legally in the United States as holders of Temporary Protected Status are entitled to court orderspausing the Trump administration's termination of their status while this case proceeds.
Today, in a 6-3 decision, the Supreme Court cleared the way for the administration to strip Temporary Protected Status from Haitian and Syrian nationals, ruling that federal law bars courts from reviewing statutory claims challenging the terminations, and that the Haitian plaintiffs' constitutional claim that the termination was racially motivated is unlikely to succeed.
"Today's decision is a blow to thousands of Marylanders who teach our children, staff our hospitals, and drive our economy. These Haitian and Syrian immigrants have built their lives in Maryland.
Because of this ruling, the Trump Administration is now free to send them back to countries that our own State Department has designated too dangerous to visit. Worse yet, the decision opens the door for the Administration to attempt to deport immigrant Marylanders from more than a dozen other countries who benefit from a policy that has been legal since 1990.
Maryland will lose workers, communities will be destabilized, and children will be separated from their parents, all because of this cruel decision to end policies that have benefitted Maryland communities for decades. Our Office stands with all Marylanders who call this State home."
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Original text here: https://oag.maryland.gov/News/pages/Statement-from-Attorney-General-Brown-on-Supreme-Court-of-the-United-States-Ruling-in-Mullin-v.-Doe-and-Trump-v.-Miot-.aspx
S.D. A.G. Jackley Issues Opinion Clarifying School Districts Must Follow Competitive Bid Laws to Protect Taxpayers
PIERRE, South Dakota, June 26 -- South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley issued the following news release on June 25, 2026:
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Attorney General Jackley Issues Opinion Clarifying School Districts Must Follow Competitive Bid Laws to Protect Taxpayers
South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley announces his office has issued an official opinion clarifying that South Dakota public school districts must follow state competitive bidding and design build procurement laws when entering into construction contracts valued at $100,000 or more. The opinion explains that districts may not use cooperative
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PIERRE, South Dakota, June 26 -- South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley issued the following news release on June 25, 2026:
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Attorney General Jackley Issues Opinion Clarifying School Districts Must Follow Competitive Bid Laws to Protect Taxpayers
South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley announces his office has issued an official opinion clarifying that South Dakota public school districts must follow state competitive bidding and design build procurement laws when entering into construction contracts valued at $100,000 or more. The opinion explains that districts may not use cooperativepurchasing organizations to bypass these statutory requirements.
"Open and fair bidding isn't just a procedural formality--it's the foundation that protects taxpayers, ensures integrity in public spending, and guarantees that every project is awarded on merit rather than convenience," said Attorney General Jackley. "When the process is transparent, the public can trust the outcome."
State law allows cooperative purchasing only for supplies and contractual services, not for public improvements such as school construction projects. Because construction work is legally defined as a public improvement, school districts must adhere to the bidding, advertising, and procedural safeguards established to ensure fairness, transparency, and responsible use of taxpayer funds.
"The opinion underscores that contracts awarded in violation of these procurement statutes are void, and that taxpayers may, in some circumstances, have standing to challenge unauthorized expenditures of public funds," said Attorney General Jackley.
Attorney General Jackley noted that the Legislature retains the authority to revise procurement statutes or establish penalties if it determines changes are necessary. The existing legal framework, however, is designed to protect public resources by ensuring integrity in school construction contracting.
The official opinion was requested by State Sen. Jim Mehlhaff of Pierre. The opinion can be found here: https://atg.sd.gov/OurOffice/OfficialOpinions/opinionhtml.aspx?id=1775#gsc.tab=0
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Original text here: https://atg.sd.gov/OurOffice/Media/pressreleasesdetail.aspx?id=3100
Okla. A.G. Drummond Lauds Supreme Court Ruling on Second Amendment Rights
OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma, June 26 -- Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond issued the following news release on June 25, 2026:
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Drummond lauds Supreme Court ruling on Second Amendment rights
Attorney General Gentner Drummond lauded the United States Supreme Court's decision today to strike down Hawaii's prohibition of firearms on private property that is open to the public.
The court voted 6-3, siding with a group of gun owners in Wolford v. Lopez to lift the restriction for places such as gas stations, restaurants and shopping malls.
"This decision rightly upholds our Second Amendment
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OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma, June 26 -- Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond issued the following news release on June 25, 2026:
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Drummond lauds Supreme Court ruling on Second Amendment rights
Attorney General Gentner Drummond lauded the United States Supreme Court's decision today to strike down Hawaii's prohibition of firearms on private property that is open to the public.
The court voted 6-3, siding with a group of gun owners in Wolford v. Lopez to lift the restriction for places such as gas stations, restaurants and shopping malls.
"This decision rightly upholds our Second Amendmentright to keep and bear arms," Drummond said.
"Hawaii's law, which required gun permit holders to seek permission to defend themselves, never should have been allowed to stand."
Drummond and a coalition of 24 other state attorneys general previously filed an amicus brief in the case supporting the law's reversal.
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Original text here: https://oklahoma.gov/oag/news/newsroom/2026/june/drummond-lauds-supreme-court-ruling-on-second-amendment-rights.html
Md. A.G. Brown Blocks Trump Administration From Exerting Federal Control Over Elections
BALTIMORE, Maryland, June 26 -- Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown issued the following news release on June 25, 2026:
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Attorney General Brown Blocks Trump Administration from Exerting Federal Control Over Elections
Attorney General Anthony G. Brown today secured a victory from the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, blocking President Trump's unlawful Executive Order that attempted to interfere with states' constitutional authority to administer elections. The final ruling follows a multistate lawsuit joined by Attorney General Brown and a coalition of 24 states
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BALTIMORE, Maryland, June 26 -- Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown issued the following news release on June 25, 2026:
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Attorney General Brown Blocks Trump Administration from Exerting Federal Control Over Elections
Attorney General Anthony G. Brown today secured a victory from the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, blocking President Trump's unlawful Executive Order that attempted to interfere with states' constitutional authority to administer elections. The final ruling follows a multistate lawsuit joined by Attorney General Brown and a coalition of 24 statesthat challenged the administration's attempt to restrict voting to individuals on lists pre-authorized by the federal government and voting-by-mail to lists maintained by the U.S. Postal Service.
"For the second day in a row, a federal court has blocked the Trump Administration from seizing control of Maryland's elections," said Attorney General Brown. "We filed this lawsuit because the President cannot threaten to prosecute state election officials for refusing to carry out an unconstitutional order. Our Office will always defend every eligible voter's right to have their voice heard at the ballot box, their most fundamental right in our democracy."
On March 31, 2026, President Trump signed an Executive Order purporting to develop lists of eligible voters in each state and directing the U.S. Postal Service, an independent federal agency, to develop its own such list and transmit mail ballots only to those on the list. The Executive Order also threatened states and elections officials with criminal prosecution and the loss of federal funding if they do not comply with his demands. In their lawsuit challenging the unlawful Executive Order, the attorneys general argued that the Order would require states to act contrary to their own election laws, voter roll procedures, and vote-by-mail systems.
The court's decision declares the challenged sections of the Executive Order to be unconstitutional and beyond the President's authority, and enjoins the Defendants from implementing them with respect to the November 3, 2026, election--and any earlier federal election in the Plaintiff States. The coalition will submit a proposed judgment to the court within the next seven days.
Attorney General Brown was joined in filing this lawsuit by the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and the Governor of Pennsylvania.
Yesterday, Attorney General Brown secured a victory in a separate lawsuit challenging President Trump's March 25, 2025, Executive Order that attempted to require documentary proof of citizenship requirements for voter registration, force States to ignore mail ballots that are cast by Election Day but received by election officials just days afterward, and withhold various streams of federal funding from the States if they fail to comply. The U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts ruled in favor of the coalition, declaring key provisions of the Executive Order unconstitutional and inconsistent with federal law.
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Original text here: https://oag.maryland.gov/News/pages/Attorney-General-Brown-Blocks-Trump-Administration-from-Exerting-Federal-Control-Over-Elections----.aspx
AG Nessel Releases Report of Alleged Abuse at Diocese of Saginaw
LANSING, Michigan, June 26 (TNSrpt) -- Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel issued the following news release:
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AG Nessel Releases Report of Alleged Abuse at Diocese of Saginaw
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel today announced the release of a report (PDF) by the Department of Attorney General concerning allegations of sexual abuse and other sexual misconduct that took place in the Diocese of Saginaw.
The report was released to acknowledge the reports of abuse from victims and to report the Department's findings. The document is a compilation of excerpts from the information obtained
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LANSING, Michigan, June 26 (TNSrpt) -- Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel issued the following news release:
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AG Nessel Releases Report of Alleged Abuse at Diocese of Saginaw
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel today announced the release of a report (PDF) by the Department of Attorney General concerning allegations of sexual abuse and other sexual misconduct that took place in the Diocese of Saginaw.
The report was released to acknowledge the reports of abuse from victims and to report the Department's findings. The document is a compilation of excerpts from the information obtainedfrom the tip line, victim interviews, police investigations, open-source media, paper documents seized from the Diocese of Saginaw, and the electronic documents found on the diocesan computers, as well as reports of allegations disclosed by the Diocese.
The list of priests for which there were allegations of sexual misconduct against either children or adults since January 1, 1950, for the Diocese of Saginaw that was established in 1938, is derived from information gleaned from a search warrant that was executed against the Diocese of Saginaw on October 3, 2018, and from the tipline operated by the Department of Attorney General since 2018. There are 38 entries on this list, and of these 37 priests and 1 deacon, 30 were ordained or incardinated by the Diocese of Saginaw.
"This report is only possible because of the bravery of so many, from young children to the elderly, coming forward over decades to share their suffering," said Attorney General Nessel. "As always, I commend their strength and thank them for it. Accountability comes in many forms, and by publishing these accounts we hope to foster acknowledgment for these survivors and safer communities today."
The Diocese of Saginaw agreed to provide reports of abuse to the Department of Attorney General. Victims often reach out to their faith leaders to share stories of alleged abuse. The willingness of the Diocese to provide information was instrumental in the compilation of the report.
The report contains detailed descriptions of allegations of sexual abuse and other sexual misconduct, including grooming and misuse of authority against minors and adults. The possible criminal prosecution of many of these allegations is barred by the statute of limitations, or because the accused priest is deceased, or for other allegations because the conduct did not violate Michigan law or the person who alleged the sexual abuse did not wish to pursue criminal charges.
The information is being released to the public as an acknowledgment to the victims of these alleged crimes and as a public accounting of the resources allocated to the Department of Attorney General to investigate and prosecute clergy abuse. It is important to note that a criminal charge is merely an allegation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. It is also important to note that the inclusion in this report does not reflect a determination by the Department that the allegations are credible or otherwise substantiated or indicative of a crime. This is the sixth of what will be seven separate reports, one regarding each of the six Dioceses and the Archdiocese of Detroit. The Department of Attorney General released its report regarding the Diocese of Marquette on October 27, 2022; its report regarding the Diocese of Gaylord on January 8, 2024; its report regarding the Diocese of Kalamazoo on May 22, 2024; its report regarding the Diocese of Lansing on December 16, 2024; and its report regarding the Diocese of Grand Rapids on December 15, 2025.
In October 2018, 42 Michigan State Police troopers, five officers from different law enforcement agencies and 15 special agents from the Department of Attorney General executed search warrants at Michigan's seven dioceses. In that effort, they seized 220 boxes of paper documents and more than 3.5 million digital documents.
"Since 2022, the department has issued six reports pertaining to abuses within the six dioceses in Michigan, and later this year will publish our seventh and final report concerning the Archdiocese of Detroit," said Attorney General Nessel. "This has been a tremendous and important endeavor by many dedicated staff in our office and with the Michigan State Police, and I thank them for their commitment to justice and tireless effort on behalf of the victims."
To date, the department has:
* Completed the paper document review of more than 1.5 million documents;
* Completed the electronic document review of more than 3.5 million documents;
* Hired and trained a full-time victim advocate to support the hundreds of victims identified during the investigation;
* Continued to refer the completed criminal investigations back to the respective dioceses;
* Followed up with victims who have not been interviewed by a trauma-informed interviewer; and
* Issued criminal charges in 11 cases throughout the entire state and secured convictions in nine cases, delivering justice for 38 survivors.
Of the 11 cases charged criminally, none of the cases were related to priests ministering in the Diocese of Saginaw. The eleven criminal prosecutions of Catholic priests charged with sexual assault in Michigan by the Attorney General are:
* People v. Joseph "Jack" Baker - Baker, a pastor at St. Perpetua Parish in Waterford and at St. Mary Parish in Wayne and an associate pastor at Sacred Heart in Dearborn and at St. Hugo of the Hills Parish in Bloomfield Hills, was sentenced to 3-15 years' incarceration in March of 2023 on one count of First-Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct. A jury found Baker guilty of sexual penetration with a person under 13 for a 2004 rape. The charge against Baker came about as a result of a referral from the Archdiocese of Detroit, which received the original report and immediately reported it to the lead prosecutor on Attorney General Nessel's clergy abuse team in 2019.
* People v. Gary Berthiaume - Berthiaume, a priest at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Wyandotte and later Our Lady of Sorrows in Farmington, was sentenced to 17 months to 15 years' incarceration on two counts of Second-Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct and one count of Gross Indecency in January 2022. Berthiaume pled guilty to the CSC charges and no contest to the gross indecency in 2021. Berthiaume sexually abused three children between the ages of 13 and 15 in the 1970s. He was arrested in 1977 for sexual assault of two other minor children and served time in the Oakland County Jail for these crimes, before being transferred by the church to the Diocese of Cleveland.
* People v. Patrick Casey - Casey, a priest at St. Theodore of Canterbury Parish in Westland, was sentenced in November of 2019 to 45 days' incarceration and one year of probation on one count of Aggravated Assault. Casey pled to the charge as a jury deliberated one count Third-Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct for initiating oral sex with an adult attempting to make confession to him in 2013.
* People v. Joseph Comperchio - Comperchio, a church organist and Catholic school drama and music teacher at St. John Catholic School in Jackson who held himself out to be a Catholic brother, was sentenced to 10-30 years' incarceration on one count of First-Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct and three counts of Second-Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct. Comperchio pled guilty to each count in June of 2021, he had been originally charged with two counts of First-Degree CSC and nine counts of Second-Degree CSC for sexual abuse of four minor children, some as young as nine-years-old, in the 1970s. Comperchio died from natural causes in 2022 while serving his sentence.
* People v. Timothy Crowley - Crowley, a priest at St. Thomas Rectory in Ann Arbor, was sentenced in November 2023, to one year incarceration and five years' probation on two counts of Second-Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct. Crowley pled guilty in August 2023, and was originally charged with four felony counts of First-Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct and four felony counts of Second-Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct for sexually abusing a minor child three decades ago.
* People v. Vincent DeLorenzo - DeLorenzo, a priest at Holy Redeemer Church in Burton, was sentenced to one year in jail and five years' probation in June of 2023 on one count of Attempted First-Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct. DeLorenzo pled guilty to sexually assaulting a five-year-old boy following a service he officiated for the boy's deceased family member in 1987. DeLorenzo died in January 2024 while serving his sentence.
* People v. Gary Jacobs - Jacobs, a priest in the Diocese of Marquette active in Dickinson and Ontonagon Counties, was sentenced to 8-15 years' incarceration on three counts of First-Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct and two counts of Second-Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct. Jacobs pled guilty to each count, admitting to abusing five children under the age of 16 in the Upper Peninsula during the 1980s. In total, there were 11 complaints of abuse by children against Jacobs.
* People v. Roy Joseph - Joseph, a priest in Marquette County, was charged with one count of First-Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct in January of 2020 for a 2006 assault. He is awaiting extradition from India.
* People v. Neil Kalina - Kalina, a priest at St. Kiernan Catholic Church in Shelby Township, was sentenced to 7-15 years' incarceration in July 2022 on two counts of Second-Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct. A jury found Kalina guilty of sexually assaulting a child aged 14 in 1984. Kalina was resentenced in Macomb County Circuit Court on January 9, 2025. His sentence was affirmed by the Michigan Court of Appeals.
* People v. Brian Stanley - Stanley, a priest at St. Margaret's Catholic Church in Otsego, was sentenced in January of 2020 to 60 days' incarceration and five years' probation on one count of Attempted False Imprisonment. Stanley pled guilty in January 2020 to immobilizing a teenage boy by wrapping him tightly in plastic wrap and using masking tape as additional binding to cover the child's eyes and mouth, leaving him bound and alone in the janitor's room for an extended period of time before returning and eventually letting him go in 2013.
* People v. Jacob Vellian - Vellian, a priest at St. John the Evangelist Parish in Benton Harbor, was charged in May of 2019 with two counts of rape under the previous criminal sexual assault statutes. In November 2023, the Department was notified that Vellian likely passed while awaiting extradition from India but is awaiting formal confirmation from the Department of State of his death.
In addition to the paper and digital documents seized from the dioceses, information is also received through the Attorney General's clergy abuse tip line. The tip line has generated 1,276 tips related to abuse, leading to many police investigations, at least 180 victim interviews, and more than 285 police reports.
For Saginaw, the investigation yielded 180 tips to the AG tipline; 115 of those were provided directly from the Diocese of Saginaw. Of the 220 boxes of paper documents that were seized from the Archdiocese and the six Dioceses, 55 boxes containing approximately 137,500 documents were reviewed related to the Diocese of Saginaw. Of the 3.5 million electronic documents seized, 482,953 documents were reviewed related to the Diocese of Saginaw.
Information can be shared via the investigation hotline at 844-324-3374 or by email (aginvestigations@michigan.gov).
For more information on the Attorney General's clergy abuse investigation or to submit information, visit the department's website (https://www.michigan.gov/ag/initiatives/catholic-church-clergy-abuse).
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REPORT: https://www.michigan.gov/ag/-/media/Project/Websites/AG/releases/2026/June/Master-Diocese-of-Saginaw-AG-Report.pdf?rev=529406243c8c455d8b21a5c34cd5ff6a&hash=193686497914A7CF516D9E9CB5F8CAE3
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Original text here: https://www.michigan.gov/ag/news/press-releases/2026/06/25/ag-nessel-releases-report-of-alleged-abuse-at-diocese-of-saginaw
