Attorney General
Here's a look at documents from state attorneys general
Featured Stories
West Virginia Urging the DOJ to Protect Federal Attorneys From Political Groups Who are Weaponizing Bar Complaints
CHARLESTON, West Virginia, April 8 -- The West Virginia Attorney General John B. McCuskey issued the following news release on April 7, 2026:
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West Virginia urging the DOJ to protect federal attorneys from political groups who are weaponizing bar complaints
West Virginia Attorney General JB McCuskey is leading a coalition of fourteen state Attorneys General in fighting back against organized, politically motivated campaigns designed to intimidate Department of Justice attorneys and cripple the federal government's ability to enforce the law.
The coalition submitted formal comments to Acting
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CHARLESTON, West Virginia, April 8 -- The West Virginia Attorney General John B. McCuskey issued the following news release on April 7, 2026:
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West Virginia urging the DOJ to protect federal attorneys from political groups who are weaponizing bar complaints
West Virginia Attorney General JB McCuskey is leading a coalition of fourteen state Attorneys General in fighting back against organized, politically motivated campaigns designed to intimidate Department of Justice attorneys and cripple the federal government's ability to enforce the law.
The coalition submitted formal comments to ActingAttorney General Todd Blanche supporting a proposed rule that would establish a federal review process for bar complaints filed against Department of Justice attorneys.
"DOJ attorneys must be able to continue to enforce our Nation's laws without fear of politically motivated bar complaints or ethics investigations being filed against them. We have seen an increase in these unfounded complaints. " McCuskey said. "This lawfare has gone unchecked for too long and must stop. Yet our state bar and others have perversely labeled this modest effort to restore order as an attack on the law. "
There has been a surge in organized bar complaint campaigns by advocacy groups targeting DOJ attorneys for simply carrying out their official duties. Radical groups have collectively filed more than 90 complaints to shame attorneys and deter legal talent from working for the Department. It's a problem on both sides of the aisle, with former Attorneys General Eric Holder and Bill Barr, special counsel Jack Smith, and Justice Brett Kavanaugh, all facing politically tinged complaints.
The coalition supports the proposed rule that would give DOJ's Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) the right of first review over bar complaints filed against Department attorneys before state bar proceedings move forward. The rule will not eliminate state bar oversight. State bars would retain full authority to investigate and impose sanctions once OPR completes its review, and OPR would be required to disclose its findings.
Alabama, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Texas joined the West Virginia-led letter.
Read the letter here (https://ago.wv.gov/media/37699/download?inline).
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INFODOC: https://ago.wv.gov/media/37699/download?inline
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Original text here: https://ago.wv.gov/article/west-virginia-urging-doj-protect-federal-attorneys-political-groups-who-are-weaponizing-bar
State Grand Jury Indicts Woodbridge Police Sergeant in Connection With May 2025 Fatal Police-Involved Shooting in Woodbridge Township, N.J.
TRENTON, New Jersey, April 8 -- New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport issued the following news release on April 7, 2026:
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State Grand Jury Indicts Woodbridge Police Sergeant in Connection with May 2025 Fatal Police-Involved Shooting in Woodbridge Township, N.J.
A state grand jury, acting under the law that requires the presentation of fatal police encounters to a grand jury, has returned an indictment against a Woodbridge Police sergeant in connection with a May 29, 2025 fatal shooting in Woodbridge Township, Middlesex County, which led to the death of Aamir Allen, 35, of Carteret,
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TRENTON, New Jersey, April 8 -- New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport issued the following news release on April 7, 2026:
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State Grand Jury Indicts Woodbridge Police Sergeant in Connection with May 2025 Fatal Police-Involved Shooting in Woodbridge Township, N.J.
A state grand jury, acting under the law that requires the presentation of fatal police encounters to a grand jury, has returned an indictment against a Woodbridge Police sergeant in connection with a May 29, 2025 fatal shooting in Woodbridge Township, Middlesex County, which led to the death of Aamir Allen, 35, of Carteret,New Jersey.
After hearing testimony and evidence, the grand jury finished deliberating on April 6, 2026, and voted to indict Woodbridge Police Sergeant Marco Bruno, who fired a series of shots that struck and killed Mr. Allen, with aggravated manslaughter (1st degree).
"Every day, law enforcement bears the burden and responsibility of keeping the people of New Jersey safe," said Attorney General Jennifer Davenport. "My office is fully committed to prosecuting this charge and ensuring that law enforcement only uses deadly force when lawful and necessary."
Mr. Allen's death was investigated by the Attorney General's Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA), and the case was presented to New Jersey residents serving on the grand jury in accordance with the Independent Prosecutor Directive of 2019. The directive was issued following the enactment of a state law requiring the Attorney General's Office to investigate deaths that occur during encounters with law enforcement.
The investigation included witness interviews, a review of 911 calls, video footage captured by police body-worn cameras and a private security camera, photographs, radio transmissions, and autopsy results from a medical examiner. Evidence, including videos of the shooting, was presented to the grand jury. Following deliberations, the grand jury voted to file an aggravated manslaughter charge against the defendant.
According to the investigation, on May 29, 2025, shortly after 1:00 a.m., officers from the Woodbridge Police Department were dispatched to a residence on East Tappen Street in the Port Reading section of Woodbridge Township, in response to multiple 911 calls. The callers reported an assault with injuries during an incident involving a male, later identified as Aamir Allen, who had a baseball bat.
Responding officers encountered Mr. Allen, who was carrying a bat while walking in the roadway. Officers repeatedly ordered Mr. Allen to drop the bat. Mr. Allen did not drop the bat and began walking away as officers followed him from a distance. Mr. Allen stopped walking outside a closed convenience store in Port Reading, where he stood holding the bat as officers continued ordering him to drop the bat.
The defendant responded to the scene shortly after a transmission was broadcast over the police radio reporting that Mr. Allen had struck occupied cars with the bat. The defendant exited the vehicle and, after issuing several commands for Mr. Allen to drop the bat, fired six shots from his service weapon. Mr. Allen was wounded and was transported to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick at approximately 1:40 a.m. He was pronounced deceased at 9:21 a.m.
Today, video footage from body worn cameras, surveillance cameras, as well as 911 calls related to this fatal incident, are being released pursuant to policies established by the Attorney General's Office in 2019 to promote the fair, impartial, and transparent investigation of fatal police encounters. Investigators provided representatives of Mr. Allen's family an opportunity to review the recordings before their public release.
The recordings are available here: https://njoag.box.com/s/9l1izbzat13ixf9ylje8i8ux9yes8vq4
The investigation is ongoing and no further information is available at this time.
N.J.S.A. 52:17B-107(a)(2) requires the Attorney General's Office to conduct investigations of a person's death that occurs during an encounter with a law enforcement officer acting in the officer's official capacity or while the decedent is in custody. It requires that all such investigations be presented to a grand jury to determine if the evidence supports the return of an indictment against the officer or officers involved.
First-degree aggravated manslaughter carries a sentence of 10 to 30 years in New Jersey state prison, subject to the "No Early Release Act," and a fine of up to $200,000.
The charge contained in the indictment is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
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Original text here: https://www.njoag.gov/state-grand-jury-indicts-woodbridge-police-sergeant-in-connection-with-may-2025-fatal-police-involved-shooting-in-woodbridge-township-n-j/
Okla. A.G. Drummond Acts to Defend Illinois River Watershed Settlements
OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma, April 8 -- Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond issued the following news release on April 7, 2026:
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Drummond acts to defend Illinois River Watershed settlements
Attorney General Gentner Drummond today called on a federal court to quickly accept the hard-fought settlements totaling more than $31 million to clean up poultry litter pollution in the Illinois River Watershed. Every day without a ruling, he warned, risks unraveling agreements that took months of good-faith negotiations to reach.
The proposed settlements with Cargill, George's, Peterson Farms and
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OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma, April 8 -- Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond issued the following news release on April 7, 2026:
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Drummond acts to defend Illinois River Watershed settlements
Attorney General Gentner Drummond today called on a federal court to quickly accept the hard-fought settlements totaling more than $31 million to clean up poultry litter pollution in the Illinois River Watershed. Every day without a ruling, he warned, risks unraveling agreements that took months of good-faith negotiations to reach.
The proposed settlements with Cargill, George's, Peterson Farms andTyson are uncontested, but the district court has yet to approve them or issue any ruling. Without such a ruling, the terms of the settlement are not in effect yet.
"Cargill, George's, Peterson Farms and Tyson did the right thing. They came to the table and worked hard to reach agreements that will deliver real remediation to the Illinois River Watershed. The court owes it to the people of Oklahoma to approve these agreements without delay," said Drummond. "The door to a fair and reasonable settlement remains open to the hold-out defendants, Simmons and Cal-Maine, as well. Their co-defendants found a path forward. They should too."
To protect the settlements, Drummond filed in two federal courts today. In the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma, the State filed a notice urging the court to act on the pending settlements. In the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, the State filed an opposition to a motion by the settling defendants that could, if granted broadly, allow Simmons and Cal-Maine to pause their own obligations in the case.
Drummond also put the district court on notice that if the settling defendants' motion results in any relief for Simmons and Cal-Maine, Oklahoma will have no choice but to withdraw all pending settlements entirely. Should that happen, all defendants - including those who negotiated in good faith - would be forced back into full, active litigation.
The State of Oklahoma v. Tyson Foods litigation was originally filed in 2005 to address decades of phosphorus runoff from poultry litter that has polluted the Illinois River Watershed. In December 2025, U.S. District Judge Gregory Frizzell issued a final judgment finding all defendants jointly liable and ordering a 30-year court-supervised remediation program.
Read the notice filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma (https://oklahoma.gov/content/dam/ok/en/oag/news-documents/2026/april/405-cv-00329-GKF-SH%20Notice.pdf)
Read the response filed in the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals (https://oklahoma.gov/content/dam/ok/en/oag/news-documents/2026/april/26-5000_Documents.pdf)
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Original text here: https://oklahoma.gov/oag/news/newsroom/2026/april/drummond-acts-to-defend-illinois-river-watershed-settlements.html
New Jersey, Roxbury Township Seek Injunction to Block ICE Detention Facility
TRENTON, New Jersey, April 8 -- New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport issued the following news release on April 7, 2026:
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New Jersey, Roxbury Township Seek Injunction to Block ICE Detention Facility
Federal Government Failed to Consider Burdens on Local Infrastructure and Resources
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Governor Mikie Sherrill and Attorney General Jennifer Davenport announced today that New Jersey and the Township of Roxbury have requested that the U.S. District Court issue a preliminary injunction to prevent the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
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TRENTON, New Jersey, April 8 -- New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport issued the following news release on April 7, 2026:
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New Jersey, Roxbury Township Seek Injunction to Block ICE Detention Facility
Federal Government Failed to Consider Burdens on Local Infrastructure and Resources
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Governor Mikie Sherrill and Attorney General Jennifer Davenport announced today that New Jersey and the Township of Roxbury have requested that the U.S. District Court issue a preliminary injunction to prevent the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement(ICE) from converting a vacant industrial warehouse in Roxbury into a mass immigration detention facility.
Emergency relief is needed because DHS has indicated it plans to engage in construction activities in areas protected by a state-issued easement as early as late May.
If the project were to proceed, it would impose profound burdens on local infrastructure and public resources from a facility that would house up to 1,500 detainees and be staffed by 1,000 employees, in an area not zoned for large-scale human occupancy. DHS and ICE failed to comply with federal laws requiring them to consult with state and local government officials and fully assess a project's impacts on the environment and local resources.
The motion for a preliminary injunction explains that a federal court already found a DHS decision to convert another analogous warehouse into an ICE detention facility in Maryland is likely unlawful. ICE spent $129 million to acquire the Roxbury warehouse - and should be prevented from expending even more taxpayer dollars on construction given that the lawsuit is likely to succeed on the merits.
"The Trump Administration has ignored State and local officials in pushing its ill-conceived plan forward because it knows the local impacts are indefensible, and this facility will not make the community safer," said Governor Sherrill. "We are standing up for New Jerseyans in a bipartisan manner to ensure their drinking water, public safety, and pocketbooks are protected."
"We need swift relief to ensure we can enforce the law and protect New Jerseyans. DHS cannot transform local neighborhoods into detention outposts without considering the impacts on local resources and consulting with the State and local governments," said Attorney General Davenport. "The court needs to step in before the damage is done, not after a lengthy case renders it too late."
The lawsuit filed March 20 seeks declaratory and injunctive relief under the Administrative Procedure Act (APA), the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Intergovernmental Cooperation Act (ICA), and the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).
DHS's decision to purchase, convert, and operate a detention facility in this warehouse is unlawful for several reasons. As alleged in the complaint:
* The site is currently a vacant warehouse on Route 46 that consists largely of a single large room with concrete floors and only four toilets.
* The property lacks adequate water or sewage access to accommodate up to 1,500 detainees and 1,000 ICE staff.
* Converting the warehouse into a detention center would multiply the water demands and wastewater output by more than 15 times, posing a serious risk of sewage overflows into nearby land, streets, and waterways - including Lake Musconetcong, which is 1,000 feet away and downhill from the warehouse, and Lake Hopatcong, the largest freshwater lake in New Jersey.
* An exponential increase in water demand poses a substantial risk of reducing water pressure and reliability for residents, impairing flows needed for fighting fires, depleting groundwater, and diminishing nearby wells.
* The warehouse is located near the Route 46 interchange with Interstate 80, an already dangerous section of road that has been the site of dozens of crashes, including three with fatalities, since 2019. It is expected that about 1,000 staff will work at the warehouse following its conversion, adding hundreds of new vehicles to nearby roads during rush hour.
View Motion for Preliminary Injunction (https://www.njoag.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/2026-0407_10-1-Brief.pdf)
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Original text here: https://www.njoag.gov/new-jersey-roxbury-township-seek-injunction-to-block-ice-detention-facility/
N.J. A.G. Davenport Co-Leads Letter Demanding That Federal Attorneys Adhere to Ethics Standards
TRENTON, New Jersey, April 8 -- New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport issued the following news release on April 7, 2026:
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Attorney General Davenport Co-Leads Letter Demanding That Federal Attorneys Adhere to Ethics Standards
Coalition Files Comment Letter Opposing Rule Proposal by Department of Justice That Weakens Misconduct Discipline Process
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Attorney General Jennifer Davenport co-led a coalition of 22 Attorneys General in filing a comment letter opposing a proposed rule by the Department of Justice (DOJ) that seeks to limit state bar disciplinary proceedings related to
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TRENTON, New Jersey, April 8 -- New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport issued the following news release on April 7, 2026:
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Attorney General Davenport Co-Leads Letter Demanding That Federal Attorneys Adhere to Ethics Standards
Coalition Files Comment Letter Opposing Rule Proposal by Department of Justice That Weakens Misconduct Discipline Process
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Attorney General Jennifer Davenport co-led a coalition of 22 Attorneys General in filing a comment letter opposing a proposed rule by the Department of Justice (DOJ) that seeks to limit state bar disciplinary proceedings related toalleged ethical misconduct by DOJ attorneys.
If the proposed rule were adopted, the Justice Department may be able to request that state bar organizations pause any investigation or disciplinary proceeding involving DOJ attorneys. States that decline such a request may be subject to undefined retaliatory actions by the federal government.
"Attorneys must be held to the highest standards of professional and ethical conduct, not because of where they work, but because of what they represent," said Attorney General Davenport. "The Department of Justice is an institution built on the tradition that those who wield the power of the law must do so with unwavering integrity, independence, and fidelity to the truth. This proposed rule seeks to shamefully lower that standard. In New Jersey, we work every day to build public trust in the legal system."
The licensing and regulation of lawyers has been handled by the States since the Nation's founding. Federal law specifies that DOJ attorneys are subject to State laws and rules in the same manner as other attorneys in that State. This comment letter seeks to hold DOJ attorneys to that basic standard and pushes back on DOJ's attempts to circumvent that process.
Attorney General Davenport was joined in co-leading the letter by the attorneys general of Minnesota, the District of Columbia, and Colorado. The letter was also joined by the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Virginia, and Washington.
View Comment Letter (https://www.njoag.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Final_CommentLetterDOJDiscipline.pdf)
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Original text here: https://www.njoag.gov/attorney-general-davenport-co-leads-letter-demanding-that-federal-attorneys-adhere-to-ethics-standards/
Md. A.G. Brown Calls for Federal Attorneys to Adhere to Ethics Standards
BALTIMORE, Maryland, April 8 -- Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown issued the following news release on April 7, 2026:
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Attorney General Brown Calls for Federal Attorneys to Adhere to Ethics Standards
Coalition Files Comment Letter Opposing Rule Proposal by Department of Justice That Weakens Misconduct Discipline Process
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Attorney General Anthony G. Brown today joined a coalition of 22 attorneys general in filing a comment letter opposing a proposed rule by the Department of Justice (DOJ) that seeks to limit state bar disciplinary proceedings related to alleged ethical misconduct
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BALTIMORE, Maryland, April 8 -- Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown issued the following news release on April 7, 2026:
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Attorney General Brown Calls for Federal Attorneys to Adhere to Ethics Standards
Coalition Files Comment Letter Opposing Rule Proposal by Department of Justice That Weakens Misconduct Discipline Process
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Attorney General Anthony G. Brown today joined a coalition of 22 attorneys general in filing a comment letter opposing a proposed rule by the Department of Justice (DOJ) that seeks to limit state bar disciplinary proceedings related to alleged ethical misconductby DOJ attorneys.
If the proposed rule were adopted, the Justice Department may be able to request that state bar organizations pause any investigation or disciplinary proceeding involving DOJ attorneys. States that decline such a request may be subject to undefined retaliatory actions by the federal government.
The licensing and regulation of lawyers has been handled by the States since the Nation's founding. Federal law specifies that DOJ attorneys are subject to State laws and rules in the same manner as other attorneys in that State. This comment letter seeks to hold DOJ attorneys to that basic standard and pushes back on DOJ's attempts to circumvent that process.
Attorney General Brown was joined in the comment letter by the attorneys general of Minnesota, the District of Columbia, Colorado, New Jersey, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Virginia, and Washington.
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Original text here: https://oag.maryland.gov/News/pages/Attorney-General-Brown-Calls-for-Federal-Attorneys-to-Adhere-to-Ethics-Standards.aspx
Ariz. A.G. Mayes Warns Landlords About Air Conditioning Failures, Reminds Tenants of Their Rights
PHOENIX, Arizona, April 8 -- Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes issued the following news release on April 7, 2026:
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Attorney General Mayes Warns Landlords About Air Conditioning Failures, Reminds Tenants of their Rights
As an unprecedented early heat wave pushed temperatures to over twenty degrees above normal across Arizona last month, Attorney General Kris Mayes is warning landlords about their obligations under Arizona law and reminding tenants of the rights they have if their air conditioning or cooling system fails to provide a habitable living environment.
"Extreme heat poses a
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PHOENIX, Arizona, April 8 -- Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes issued the following news release on April 7, 2026:
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Attorney General Mayes Warns Landlords About Air Conditioning Failures, Reminds Tenants of their Rights
As an unprecedented early heat wave pushed temperatures to over twenty degrees above normal across Arizona last month, Attorney General Kris Mayes is warning landlords about their obligations under Arizona law and reminding tenants of the rights they have if their air conditioning or cooling system fails to provide a habitable living environment.
"Extreme heat poses aserious health risk, and it is unacceptable for tenants to be without proper cooling. This year we hit record highs in March and summer is right around the corner," said Attorney General Mayes. "Landlords and management companies must take swift action when cooling systems fail so that tenants have safe and habitable living conditions in accordance with the law."
Failure to provide adequate cooling potentially violates the Arizona Landlord Tenant Act (A.R.S. Sec. 33-1301-1381) and any applicable local regulations. Under Arizona law, landlords must maintain safe and habitable living conditions. In the cities of Phoenix and Tucson, rental units that use air conditioning cannot exceed a maximum temperature of 82 degrees in all habitable rooms. This includes chiller systems, which are subject to the same requirements.
AG Mayes urges tenants whose air conditioning or cooling system has failed to take the following steps:
* Notify your landlord in writing. Start with a phone call and follow up in writing, preferably by certified mail. If you have a medical condition that will be worsened by extreme heat, include that information and request accommodations.
* Your landlord must act within five days of written notice if temperatures pose a health and safety risk.
* If your landlord fails to act, Arizona law may allow you to repair the issue yourself and deduct the cost from your rent, terminate your lease, or sue for damages.
As an example of the office's enforcement efforts, the AGO sent cease-and-desist letters in recent weeks to the owners and management companies of two apartment complexes -- Aspire West Apartments in Phoenix and Lumina on 19th Apartments in Tucson -- after residents reported that management refused to activate chiller systems despite indoor temperatures already exceeding legal limits.
The Arizona Consumer Fraud Act prohibits deceptive advertising of real estate leases and unfair business practices, which may include failures to provide habitable living conditions. Violations can result in civil penalties of up to $10,000 per violation, disgorgement of profits, and restitution to consumers.
Landlords should also be aware of their obligations under the Arizona Civil Rights Act and Arizona Fair Housing Laws, which require equal access to services and reasonable accommodations for tenants with disabilities. Remedial measures cannot be provided on a discriminatory basis.
Tenants who believe their landlord is failing to provide safe or habitable living conditions are encouraged to file a consumer complaint with the Attorney General's Office at azag.gov/consumer, or by calling (602) 542-5763 in Phoenix, (520) 628-6648 in Tucson, or (800) 352-8431 statewide.
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Original text here: https://www.azag.gov/press-release/attorney-general-mayes-warns-landlords-about-air-conditioning-failures-reminds
