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Release of Summary on Shooting of Nottingham Police Officer Lister, Suicide of Massey in Raymond, N.H.
CONCORD, New Hampshire, Aug. 29 -- New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella issued the following news release on Aug. 28, 2026:
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Release of Summary on Regarding the April 4, 2026 Shooting of Nottingham Police Officer Joseph Lister and the Suicide of Matthew Massey in Raymond, New Hampshire
Attorney General John M. Formella announces the release of a summary of facts regarding the April 4, 2026 Shooting of Nottingham Police Officer Joseph Lister in Raymond, New Hampshire, and the subsequent suicide of the individual who shot Officer Lister, Mr. Matthew Massey.
On the afternoon of April
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CONCORD, New Hampshire, Aug. 29 -- New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella issued the following news release on Aug. 28, 2026:
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Release of Summary on Regarding the April 4, 2026 Shooting of Nottingham Police Officer Joseph Lister and the Suicide of Matthew Massey in Raymond, New Hampshire
Attorney General John M. Formella announces the release of a summary of facts regarding the April 4, 2026 Shooting of Nottingham Police Officer Joseph Lister in Raymond, New Hampshire, and the subsequent suicide of the individual who shot Officer Lister, Mr. Matthew Massey.
On the afternoon of April4, 2025, police officers responded to a home in Raymond for a report that Matthew Massey (age 38) was shooting at several people including family members. During his subsequent interaction with officers, Mr. Massey shot at multiple police officers, striking and wounding Nottingham Police Officer Joseph Lister. Officer Lister was able to be evacuated to a nearby hospital, later released, and is still recovering from his injuries. Mr. Massey then ran into a heavily wooded area.
Several hours later, Mr. Massey was surrounded by officers from the Southern New Hampshire Special Operations Unit and the New Hampshire State Police Special Weapons and Tactics Unit as they attempted to take him into custody pursuant to a warrant. In response to officers calling for him to surrender peacefully, Mr. Massey began firing at officers with his rifle from his concealed position. Several officers returned fire, but their rounds did not strike Mr. Massey directly or cause any serious bodily injury. The exchange of gunfire ended when Mr. Massey committed suicide with his rifle.
The summary attached highlights the pertinent facts of this event relevant to the uses of deadly force by law enforcement that day.
Raymond Officer-Involved Shooting Summary 8-28-26 (https://www.doj.nh.gov/sites/g/files/ehbemt721/files/media/media_document/raymond-officer-involved-shooting-summary-corrected-8-28-26.pdf)
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Original text here: https://www.doj.nh.gov/news-and-media/release-summary-regarding-april-4-2026-shooting-nottingham-police-officer-joseph
N.M. A.G. Torrez Secures Court Order Temporarily Blocking Postal Service's Unlawful Mail Voting Rule
SANTA FE, New Mexico, Aug. 29 -- New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez issued the following news release on Aug. 28, 2026:
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Attorney General Raul Torrez Secures Court Order Temporarily Blocking Postal Service's Unlawful Mail Voting Rule
District Court Judge Issues Temporary Restraining Order to Block Rule from Taking Effect
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Albuquerque, NM - Attorney General Raul Torrez and a coalition of 25 states have secured a temporary restraining order (TRO) from the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, temporarily blocking a new rule by the United States Postal Service (USPS)
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SANTA FE, New Mexico, Aug. 29 -- New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez issued the following news release on Aug. 28, 2026:
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Attorney General Raul Torrez Secures Court Order Temporarily Blocking Postal Service's Unlawful Mail Voting Rule
District Court Judge Issues Temporary Restraining Order to Block Rule from Taking Effect
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Albuquerque, NM - Attorney General Raul Torrez and a coalition of 25 states have secured a temporary restraining order (TRO) from the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, temporarily blocking a new rule by the United States Postal Service (USPS)that would have imposed burdensome requirements on vote-by-mail systems ahead of the November 3 midterm elections.
"The Postal Service's rule was an unlawful overreach that threatened to upend years of proven, state run vote by mail systems," said Attorney General Raul Torrez. "No federal agency should be allowed to impose last minute, unworkable mandates that jeopardize New Mexican's ability to cast their ballots safely and on time. We are encouraged by today's ruling and will continue to fight the Trump Administration's attempts to dismantle our democracy."
The order blocks USPS from requiring states to obtain the federal government's approval of ballot and return-envelope designs, register for a new USPS portal for tracking voter information, input information for each of their state's voters into the portal, and comply with other provisions. The court found that compliance with the rule before the November elections was "practically impossible," noting that states do not have the time to redesign and produce new ballots, update state-administered election systems, train state and local election officials, and upload a massive set of voter information to a new federal portal.
The court found that these requirements created a significant risk of disenfranchisement, particularly because USPS's rule neither provided a deadline to the states for ballot and envelope designs nor guaranteed a turnaround time for USPS's approval of those designs. The court concluded that states face irreparable harm because many had already ordered their ballots, with some states required by state law to begin sending them to voters as early as next week.
On March 31, 2026, President Trump issued an Executive Order attempting to establish a national list of eligible voters and directing the U.S. Postal Service to transmit mail ballots only to voters on the list. On August 21, 2026, USPS announced a new rule implementing the President's demands that require states to register every voter who is eligible to vote by mail with USPS and tasking USPS with compiling the registered voters into state-specific lists. Under the rule, USPS will not deliver ballots to voters who do not appear on the USPS-generated lists and will not deliver ballots in envelopes that fail to comply with the rule's new standards.
On August 26, 2026, Attorney General Torrez joined a coalition of 25 states in filing a lawsuit to block the unlawful rule. The coalition now seeks a preliminary injunction to stop the rule from taking effect while the lawsuit proceeds and until a final court decision is made.
With the start of the general election season mere weeks away, the coalition argued the rule inflicts significant, irreparable harm on states by imposing burdensome mail voting requirements that risk disenfranchising eligible voters. The coalition argues that USPS's rule upends successful, longstanding vote-by-mail procedures and violates federal statutes and the Constitution, which makes clear that states have the primary authority to administer elections.
Attorney General Torrez was joined in filing this lawsuit, which was co-led by the attorneys general of California, Massachusetts, Nevada, and Washington, by the attorneys general of Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Wisconsin, and the Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
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Original text here: https://nmdoj.gov/press-release/attorney-general-raul-torrez-secures-court-order-temporarily-blocking-postal-services-unlawful-mail-voting-rule/
N.J. A.G. Davenport Announces Prospect Park Councilman Admits Role in Illegal Gambling Operation
TRENTON, New Jersey, Aug. 29 -- New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport issued the following news release on Aug. 28, 2026:
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AG Davenport Announces Prospect Park Councilman Admits Role in Illegal Gambling Operation
Attorney General Jennifer Davenport, the Division of Criminal Justice (DCJ), and the New Jersey State Police (NJSP) announced today that a Prospect Park, New Jersey, councilman admitted his role in an illegal gambling operation tied to the Lucchese crime family.
Anand U. Shah, 44, of Prospect Park, New Jersey, pleaded guilty today before Superior Court Judge Ralph E.
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TRENTON, New Jersey, Aug. 29 -- New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport issued the following news release on Aug. 28, 2026:
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AG Davenport Announces Prospect Park Councilman Admits Role in Illegal Gambling Operation
Attorney General Jennifer Davenport, the Division of Criminal Justice (DCJ), and the New Jersey State Police (NJSP) announced today that a Prospect Park, New Jersey, councilman admitted his role in an illegal gambling operation tied to the Lucchese crime family.
Anand U. Shah, 44, of Prospect Park, New Jersey, pleaded guilty today before Superior Court Judge Ralph E.Amirata in Morris County to first-degree racketeering, first-degree money laundering, and second-degree official misconduct. Under terms of the plea agreement, the state will recommend a sentence of 10 years in state prison, of which 85 percent must be served before parole eligibility. Shah must also forfeit his public office and is permanently barred from holding public office. Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 4, 2026.
"Public officials have a special duty to ensure that they follow the law," said Attorney General Davenport. "The defendant not only broke the law, but he then used criminal proceeds to fund his political campaign. Today's guilty plea demonstrates that no one is above the law."
"Traditional organized crime remains a real problem in New Jersey," said DCJ Director Theresa L. Hilton. "Even with a variety of legal gambling options, illegal gambling rings run by organized crime continue to operate in backrooms and online. Law enforcement will continue to dismantle these criminal enterprises no matter where they operate."
Shah functioned as a sportsbook agent/poker manager in the operation. At his plea hearing, Shad admitted that he conspired with other members of the enterprise and committed repeated acts of gambling and money laundering in Morris, Passaic, and Bergen counties. Shah admitted that he had subagents under him and managed and controlled financial transactions and caused others to direct portions of funds derived from criminal activity to his campaign for his position as Councilman.
Shah admitted that he acted as a poker manager and host in illegal poker clubs where a "rake" -- a percentage of the monies bet by the players as a profit for the house for each hand played - was collected, and acted as agent with dozens of subagents under him on sportsbook. From January 2017 to August 2023, the criminal proceeds directly attributable to Shah totaled $900,084. Shah admitted that he had individuals who owed him gambling debts contribute to his campaign in lieu of paying the debt and would forgive their balance of debt if they donated to the campaign.
Shah is one of 42 people who have been indicted since the initial arrests in April 2025 following a two-year investigation into illegal gambling, loansharking, extortion, and money laundering tied to the Lucchese crime family. Earlier this year, eight people admitted their roles in operating illegal poker games and an online sportsbook in association with the Lucchese crime family. Between October 2025 and August 2026, 38 other people have previously pleaded guilty with respect to their conduct in the gambling enterprise.
The leadership of the New Jersey-based faction of the Lucchese family allegedly oversaw the gambling activities and received a portion of the criminal proceeds. The investigation resulted in the identification of $4.79 million in suspected criminal proceeds. Members of the criminal enterprise used multiple shell corporations and legitimate businesses to conceal their illegal gambling proceeds.
Charges are still pending against two remaining defendants, and they are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Deputy Attorney General Heather Hausleben is prosecuting the case for DCJ. The case was investigated by Detective Sergeant Michael Gallant of the New Jersey State Police. Attorney General Davenport thanked the FBI New Jersey - Newark and Red Bank, FBI New York City, U.S. Marshals, Federal Probation, and the Department of Corrections Special Operations Group for their valuable contributions to the investigation.
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Original text here: https://www.njoag.gov/ag-davenport-announces-prospect-park-councilman-admits-role-in-illegal-gambling-operation/
Ariz. A.G. Mayes Vows to Defend Prop 308 Against Federal Lawsuit
PHOENIX, Arizona, Aug. 29 -- Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes issued the following news release on Aug. 28, 2026:
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Attorney General Mayes Vows to Defend Prop 308 Against Federal Lawsuit
Attorney General Mayes today responded to a lawsuit filed by the federal government against Arizona over Proposition 308, the 2022 voter-approved law that allows Arizona high school graduates -- regardless of immigration status -- to qualify for in-state tuition at Arizona's public universities and community colleges.
"The federal government has now sued 21 states for letting Dreamers who attended school
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PHOENIX, Arizona, Aug. 29 -- Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes issued the following news release on Aug. 28, 2026:
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Attorney General Mayes Vows to Defend Prop 308 Against Federal Lawsuit
Attorney General Mayes today responded to a lawsuit filed by the federal government against Arizona over Proposition 308, the 2022 voter-approved law that allows Arizona high school graduates -- regardless of immigration status -- to qualify for in-state tuition at Arizona's public universities and community colleges.
"The federal government has now sued 21 states for letting Dreamers who attended schoolin places like Arizona be able to afford a college education at our state's community colleges and universities" said Attorney General Mayes. "Fundamentally, this is about state's rights and I will vigorously defend Arizona's right to set its own rules, especially ones that are passed by voters themselves."
Mayes argues the government's complaint rests on a faulty premise. Proposition 308, as written and approved by Arizona voters, doesn't condition eligibility on residence, which is what the government alleges. It conditions eligibility on whether a student attended and graduated from an Arizona high school (or homeschool equivalent). That's the standard voters wrote into law -- tied to where a student attended school and where they graduated, not their residency. As such, it falls outside the scope of 8 U.S.C Sec. 1623 and is consistent with federal law.
Attorney General Mayes anticipated this exact challenge. In an August 2025 formal opinion, she concluded that because Proposition 308 does not confer eligibility on the basis of residence -- but instead on educational criteria:
"Proposition 308 is also consistent with 8 U.S.C. Sec. 1623, which prohibits a noncitizen not lawfully present in the United States from being 'eligible on the basis of residence within a State ... for any postsecondary education benefit unless a citizen or national of the United States is eligible for such a benefit' in equal amount 'without regard to whether the citizen or national is such a resident.'
That statute restricts eligibility for some benefits offered on the basis of state residence to a noncitizen who is not lawfully present unless certain conditions are met. It creates no restrictions if eligibility is conditioned not on state residence, but instead on other criteria. Because Proposition 308 confers no eligibility for a postsecondary education benefit on the basis of residence -- and instead uses other criteria -- it is consistent with Sec. 1623."
Arizona is one of 21 states now facing DOJ lawsuits over similar in-state tuition laws for Dreamers, part of a coordinated effort following an executive order directing the U.S. Attorney General to challenge these state policies nationwide.
Arizona voters passed Proposition 308 in 2022. Under Proposition 308, a student qualifies for in-state tuition rates if they attended an Arizona high school for at least two years and graduated from an Arizona high school or received an equivalent credential in the state -- regardless of their immigration status or current residence.
The full text of Attorney General Mayes' August 2025 opinion (https://us.list-manage.com/7DrSQJ_DmdT?e=9153ff6c96&c2id=9a759fc70c6d734a91a2647ef652fab2) is available.
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Original text here: https://www.azag.gov/press-release/attorney-general-mayes-vows-defend-prop-308-against-federal-lawsuit
Ariz. A.G. Mayes Secures Court Order to Protect Arizonans' Right to Vote by Mail
PHOENIX, Arizona, Aug. 29 -- Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes issued the following news release on Aug. 28, 2026:
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Attorney General Mayes Secures Court Order to Protect Arizonans' Right to Vote by Mail
Attorney General Mayes yesterday secured a temporary restraining order from a federal judge, temporarily blocking a new rule by the United States Postal Service (USPS) that would have imposed burdensome requirements on vote-by-mail systems ahead of the November 3 midterm elections.
"This is a win for every Arizona voter and the rule of law," said Attorney General Kris Mayes. "Arizonans
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PHOENIX, Arizona, Aug. 29 -- Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes issued the following news release on Aug. 28, 2026:
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Attorney General Mayes Secures Court Order to Protect Arizonans' Right to Vote by Mail
Attorney General Mayes yesterday secured a temporary restraining order from a federal judge, temporarily blocking a new rule by the United States Postal Service (USPS) that would have imposed burdensome requirements on vote-by-mail systems ahead of the November 3 midterm elections.
"This is a win for every Arizona voter and the rule of law," said Attorney General Kris Mayes. "Arizonanshave voted safely and securely by mail for decades. In a system designed by Republicans, at least three-quarters of Arizona voters choose to vote by mail. Today the court agreed that the federal government cannot upend our election system just weeks before ballots go out."
The court found that compliance with the rule before the November elections was "practically impossible," noting that states do not have the time to redesign and produce new ballots, update state-administered election systems, train state and local election officials, and upload a massive set of voter information to a new federal portal.
The court found that these requirements created a significant risk of disenfranchisement, particularly because USPS's rule neither provided a deadline to the states for ballot and envelope designs nor guaranteed a turnaround time for USPS's approval of those designs. The court concluded that states face irreparable harm because many had already ordered their ballots, with some states required by state law to begin sending them to voters as early as next week.
On March 31, President Trump issued an Executive Order attempting to establish a national list of eligible voters and directing the U.S. Postal Service to transmit mail ballots only to voters on the list. On August 21, USPS announced a new rule implementing the President's demands that require states to register every voter who is eligible to vote by mail with USPS and tasking USPS with compiling the registered voters into state-specific lists. The rule also establishes new design requirements for the mail-in ballot envelopes created by states, which states are required to meet and get approved by USPS. Under the rule, USPS will not deliver ballots to voters who do not appear on the USPS-generated lists and will not deliver ballots in envelopes that fail to comply with the rule's new standards.
On August 26, Attorney General Mayes joined a coalition of 25 states in filing a lawsuit (https://us.list-manage.com/lXWWeX3kNbN?e=9153ff6c96&c2id=9a759fc70c6d734a91a2647ef652fab2) to block the unlawful rule. The coalition now seeks a preliminary injunction to stop the rule from taking effect while the lawsuit proceeds and until a final court decision is made.
With the start of the general election season mere weeks away, the coalition argued the rule inflicts significant, irreparable harm on states by imposing burdensome mail voting requirements that risk disenfranchising eligible voters. The coalition argues that USPS's rule upends successful, longstanding vote-by-mail procedures and violates federal statutes and the Constitution, which makes clear that states have the primary authority to administer elections.
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Original text here: https://www.azag.gov/press-release/attorney-general-mayes-secures-court-order-protect-arizonans-right-vote-mail
Ariz. A.G. Mayes Celebrates Ninth Circuit Ruling Affirming State Authority to Regulate Sports Betting
PHOENIX, Arizona, Aug. 29 -- Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes issued the following statement on Aug. 28, 2026:
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Attorney General Mayes Celebrates Ninth Circuit Ruling Affirming State Authority to Regulate Sports Betting
Attorney General Kris Mayes today issued the following statement after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled in KalshiEX, LLC v. Assad that the Commodity Exchange Act does not preempt Nevada's authority to regulate Kalshi's sports event contracts as sports betting:
This is a significant win for states' authority to regulate gambling operations. Calling
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PHOENIX, Arizona, Aug. 29 -- Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes issued the following statement on Aug. 28, 2026:
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Attorney General Mayes Celebrates Ninth Circuit Ruling Affirming State Authority to Regulate Sports Betting
Attorney General Kris Mayes today issued the following statement after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled in KalshiEX, LLC v. Assad that the Commodity Exchange Act does not preempt Nevada's authority to regulate Kalshi's sports event contracts as sports betting:
This is a significant win for states' authority to regulate gambling operations. Callinga sports bet a 'swap' doesn't make it one. States like Arizona have built a comprehensive system to regulate gaming and today's ruling affirms those regulations.
Financial reform legislation was never intended to strip states of their traditional police power over gambling, and I'm glad the court said so clearly.
Kalshi's position would have effectively federalized sports betting regulation nationwide and swept aside decades of state and Tribal oversight built to protect consumers from the real harms of unregulated gambling.
My office is reviewing today's opinion closely, including its implications for our own ongoing litigation with Kalshi. I remain committed to enforcing Arizona's gaming laws and will continue to defend the State's authority to do.
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Original text here: https://www.azag.gov/press-release/attorney-general-mayes-celebrates-ninth-circuit-ruling-affirming-state-authority
A.G. Jones on C-SPAN Discussing Landmark $353 Million Settlement Between Meta and Virginia
RICHMOND, Virginia, Aug. 29 -- Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones issued the following news release on Aug. 28, 2026:
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Attorney General Jay Jones on C-SPAN Discussing Landmark $353 Million Settlement Between Meta and Virginia
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - This morning Attorney General Jones joined Greta Brawner, host of Washington Journal on C-SPAN, to discuss the landmark child-safety settlement reached between the social media company Meta and the multistate coalition who brought suit against the tech giant.
C-SPAN: "In Virginia, we have drawn our line in the sand."
"This is certainly something
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RICHMOND, Virginia, Aug. 29 -- Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones issued the following news release on Aug. 28, 2026:
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Attorney General Jay Jones on C-SPAN Discussing Landmark $353 Million Settlement Between Meta and Virginia
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - This morning Attorney General Jones joined Greta Brawner, host of Washington Journal on C-SPAN, to discuss the landmark child-safety settlement reached between the social media company Meta and the multistate coalition who brought suit against the tech giant.
C-SPAN: "In Virginia, we have drawn our line in the sand."
"This is certainly somethingthat is historic, not just for Virginia but across the country. We have not just a landmark settlement in terms of dollar figures, but the guardrails to keep Americans secure," Attorney General Jones said.
"We are going to hold everybody accountable, no matter who you are. If you are doing harm to our kids, we are going to come after you."
See more here:
PRESS RELEASE: Attorney General Jay Jones Announces a $17 Billion Landmark Settlement with Meta with $353 Million Guaranteed for Virginia (https://6rdh5iebb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001q1_FkBpw5w-sqpKTM-Ip4oWvLXTqbvNm2sytXOodE3Dx3WUjckicKWtsH-sIm8YbYQyVI8NwRHeZRXimIqUHcOZIXvujMiV9YHTDeBU9Iztlil9q7f75s1Ul8EHEOKXKlxCALv_QzGWDYNm-e0_-LpzBGNkq5kgPEp7ivUrv8bOUoLib4k0nsm8QHuKZsAdSmLxhCEm5dFtbKQhkeesQo1tSRqf-OjU_t2IgpAyTdz8FrvTXaDesjkJdcyAmCxY7dOoXP5lG1oNw8MsKUA6AfPahXpzT6yvvEZ6gKw926N9XQgHROAlsoEw9c1J6G3yrWhjn3KmT1m6fiLbT_iW4y-kCUThEQ46rXraPovuuYDU=&c=ZnrTEj_x-L8cHI9yUzKF9tk5B3wq0MTWZMTZxcGWE78AQEDlPqZddA==&ch=oFksre2VI6wTf8pYYoHbtmSCMlr4cfcXV3fEpXv62FV8QrP63Zrssg==)
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Original text here: https://www.oag.state.va.us/media-center/news-releases/3109-video-attorney-general-jay-jones-on-c-span-discussing-landmark-353-million-settlement-between-meta-and-virginia