Attorney General
Here's a look at documents from state attorneys general
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Va. A.G. Miyares Leads Multistate Effort Defending Title IX and Student Privacy
RICHMOND, Virginia, Nov. 27 -- Virginia Attorney General Jason S. Miyares issued the following news release on Nov. 26, 2025:
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Attorney General Miyares Leads Multistate Effort Defending Title IX and Student Privacy
Attorney General Jason Miyares today announced that Virginia is leading a 21-state coalition in filing an amicus brief urging the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit to uphold the dismissal of lawsuits filed by the Fairfax County School Board and the Arlington School Board. The school divisions argue that Title IX and the Fourth Circuit's 2020 decision in Grimm v. Gloucester
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RICHMOND, Virginia, Nov. 27 -- Virginia Attorney General Jason S. Miyares issued the following news release on Nov. 26, 2025:
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Attorney General Miyares Leads Multistate Effort Defending Title IX and Student Privacy
Attorney General Jason Miyares today announced that Virginia is leading a 21-state coalition in filing an amicus brief urging the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit to uphold the dismissal of lawsuits filed by the Fairfax County School Board and the Arlington School Board. The school divisions argue that Title IX and the Fourth Circuit's 2020 decision in Grimm v. GloucesterCounty School Board require them to adopt policies allowing students to access bathrooms and locker rooms based solely on self-declared gender identity. The amicus brief explains that this claim has no legal grounding.
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"Nothing in Title IX, its regulations, or the Grimm decision requires school divisions to adopt sweeping policies that disregard basic privacy protections or put student safety at risk. Privacy and safety are not partisan issues. They are fundamental expectations in every Virginia school," said Attorney General Jason Miyares. "The school divisions' effort to twist Grimm far beyond its actual holding is unsupported by law and profoundly irresponsible. The district court made the proper call, and the Fourth Circuit should uphold it. Fairfax and Arlington are not exempt from following the law, and their reckless choices make clear that protecting children was never their priority."
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The brief explains that Grimm was a narrow, as-applied ruling about a single student and a single bathroom policy. The court did not hold that schools must open all sex-segregated facilities to any student based on self-identification, and it explicitly did not address locker rooms or changing areas. Despite this, Fairfax and Arlington have adopted broad policies that treat a student's self-assertion of gender identity as sufficient to access private facilities reserved for the opposite biological sex.
Title IX was enacted to prevent sex-based discrimination in education. Its regulations were written with the understanding that "sex" refers to biological sex. When schools accept federal funds, they agree to comply with these clear, longstanding requirements.
In September, Attorney General Miyares filed two briefs opposing an earlier attempt by the school divisions to block the U.S. Department of Education from enforcing federal protections for women in school bathrooms, locker rooms, and changing areas.
Virginia was joined by Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming in filing the brief.
Read the brief here (https://files.constantcontact.com/d3e83e11901/91b6c8b2-7064-41bb-a948-3ce533ebcee1.pdf?rdr=true).
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Original text here: https://www.oag.state.va.us/media-center/news-releases/2931-november-26-2025-attorney-general-miyares-leads-multistate-effort-defending-title-ix-and-student-privacy
R.I. A.G. Neronha, Coalition Sue to Block Unlawful SNAP Eligibility Guidance
PROVIDENCE, Rhode Island, Nov. 27 -- Rhode Island Attorney General Peter F. Neronha issued the following news release on Nov. 26, 2025:
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Attorney General Neronha, coalition sue to block unlawful SNAP eligibility guidance
Attorney General Peter F. Neronha today joined 21 other attorneys general in filing a lawsuit to stop the federal government from unlawfully cutting off Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for thousands of lawful permanent residents.
The coalition seeks to block new guidance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that wrongly treats several
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PROVIDENCE, Rhode Island, Nov. 27 -- Rhode Island Attorney General Peter F. Neronha issued the following news release on Nov. 26, 2025:
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Attorney General Neronha, coalition sue to block unlawful SNAP eligibility guidance
Attorney General Peter F. Neronha today joined 21 other attorneys general in filing a lawsuit to stop the federal government from unlawfully cutting off Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for thousands of lawful permanent residents.
The coalition seeks to block new guidance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that wrongly treats severalgroups of legal immigrants as ineligible for food assistance, including permanent residents who were granted asylum or admitted as refugees. The attorneys general argue that the guidance contradicts federal law and could impose massive financial penalties on states, and are asking the court to declare the guidance unlawful.
"On the eve of Thanksgiving, we would do well to remember that there are millions of hungry Americans who rely on SNAP to provide for their families," said Attorney General Neronha. "As this Administration continues its unlawful attempts to withhold assistance from those who need it most, we continue to claw back funding for Americans across the country. Removing SNAP eligibility, with zero notice, from non-citizens who lawfully reside here is antithetical to our American values. I look forward to a day that our federal government doesn't directly contradict our collective ideals but until then, we continue the fight."
On October 31, USDA issued new guidance to state SNAP agencies describing changes to program eligibility under the "One Big Beautiful Bill," which narrowed eligibility for certain non-citizen groups, including refugees, asylum recipients, and others admitted under humanitarian protection programs. The USDA memo, however, incorrectly asserted that all individuals who entered the country through these humanitarian pathways would remain permanently ineligible for SNAP, even after obtaining green cards and becoming lawful permanent residents. Last week, Attorney General Neronha and 20 other attorneys general formally called on the federal administration to clarify its position or withdraw and correct the memo. The USDA has not replied.
The coalition emphasizes that this position is not mentioned in the "One Big Beautiful Bill" or in any other federal law. Federal statutes make clear that refugees, asylees, humanitarian parolees, individuals whose deportation has been withheld, and other vulnerable legal immigrants become eligible for SNAP once they obtain their green cards and meet standard program requirements. The attorneys general argue that USDA's memo illegally rewrites those rules and threatens to cut off food assistance for people who are fully eligible under the law.
Additionally, the attorneys general argue that USDA's guidance misapplies the agency's own regulations. Federal rules give states a 120-day grace period after new guidance is issued to adjust their systems without facing severe financial penalties. USDA is now claiming that this period expired on November 1, just one day after the guidance was released and before states even had a single business day to review it. The coalition argues that this interpretation is impossible under USDA's own regulations, which state that the 120-day period cannot begin until new guidance is actually issued. And because the statute also imposes a cost-shifting framework on the SNAP program for states that USDA determines have unacceptable error rates in administering the program, by disregarding its own rules, USDA is exposing states to major financial penalties for errors caused by the agency's late and inaccurate memo.
States have already begun implementing the statutory changes enacted earlier this year, but USDA's abrupt and incorrect guidance now forces them to overhaul eligibility systems overnight. The attorneys general warn that this will create widespread confusion for families, increase the risk of wrongful benefit terminations, erode public trust, and place states in an untenable situation where they must either violate federal law or accept severe financial liability. The attorneys general are asking the court to vacate the unlawful guidance and block its implementation to ensure that families do not lose critical food assistance.
Joining Attorney General Neronha in this lawsuit are the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia.
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Original text here: https://riag.ri.gov/press-releases/attorney-general-neronha-coalition-sue-block-unlawful-snap-eligibility-guidance
Okla. A.G. Drummond Rallies Nation's Attorneys General to Combat Missing and Murdered Indigenous People Crisis
OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma, Nov. 27 -- Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond issued the following news release on Nov. 26, 2025:
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Drummond rallies nation's attorneys general to combat Missing and Murdered Indigenous People crisis
Attorney General Gentner Drummond is leading 39 state attorneys general in urging Congress to pass the Tribal Warrant Fairness Act, critical legislation that would provide tribal communities with equal access to federal law enforcement resources.
In a letter spearheaded by Drummond, the coalition calls for passage of the legislation introduced by U.S. Sens.
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OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma, Nov. 27 -- Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond issued the following news release on Nov. 26, 2025:
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Drummond rallies nation's attorneys general to combat Missing and Murdered Indigenous People crisis
Attorney General Gentner Drummond is leading 39 state attorneys general in urging Congress to pass the Tribal Warrant Fairness Act, critical legislation that would provide tribal communities with equal access to federal law enforcement resources.
In a letter spearheaded by Drummond, the coalition calls for passage of the legislation introduced by U.S. Sens.Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., and Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev. The Act would authorize the U.S. Marshals Service to assist tribal law enforcement agencies in locating and recovering missing children and apprehending violent fugitives. Currently, the Marshals Service can only provide such assistance to state, local and other federal law enforcement agencies.
"Tribal communities deserve equal access to federal law enforcement resources," Drummond said. "This legislation will help protect Native American children and increase public safety across Oklahoma by ensuring our tribal partners have the skilled assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service when they need it most."
The letter highlights the urgent need to address Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP), a crisis that disproportionately affects Native American communities.
"We applaud Congress's continued efforts to increase tribal law enforcement agencies' full access to federal public safety resources," the letter states. "The Tribal Warrant Fairness Act is an important next step in a multi-government approach to address MMIP and to ensure equal treatment for our tribal partners."
The Tribal Warrant Fairness Act would expand the U.S. Marshals Service's authority to include assisting tribal law enforcement in locating missing children, allow tribal law enforcement officers to join the U.S. Marshals Service's elite Fugitive Apprehension Task Force, enable tribes to locate and apprehend fugitives through task forces and other lawful means, and require consultation with tribes on implementation.
Drummond also noted that Oklahoma has seen firsthand the effectiveness of the Fugitive Apprehension Task Force, with recent arrests including fugitives charged with murder, kidnapping and rape. Fully integrating tribal law enforcement into these task forces will increase the likelihood that fugitives from tribal justice are apprehended and provide more opportunities for advanced training to tribal officers.
Read the Letter (https://oklahoma.gov/content/dam/ok/en/oag/news-documents/2025/november/Ltr%20to%20Congress%20re%20Tribal%20Warrant%20Fairness%20Act_FINAL.pdf)
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November 25, 2025
TO: Senator John Thune, Senate Majority Leader, 511 Dirksen Senate Office Bldg., Washington, DC
Senator Chuck Schumer, Senate Minority Leader, 322 Hart Senate Office Bldg., Washington, D.C.
Senator Lisa Murkowski, Chair, Indian Affairs, 522 Hart Senate Office Bldg., Washington, D.C.
Senator Brian Schatz, Vice Chair, Indian Affairs, 722 Hart Senate Office Bldg., Washington, D.C.
Senators Thune, Schumer, Murkowski, and Schatz,
As the attorneys general of 39 states, we write to support the Tribal Warrant Fairness Act. Our offices recognize that it is critical to quickly deploy law enforcement resources where they are most needed.
Providing the skilled assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service to our tribal partners will protect children and increase public safety for those who live within the boundaries of our states.
The Tribal Warrant Fairness Act, which was recently introduced by Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., and Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., will help level the public safety playing field by empowering the U.S. Marshals Service to help tribes locate and recover missing children and arrest violent fugitives. Tribal Warrant Fairness Act, S. , 119th Cong. (2025). This expansion is vital to public safety and to address the well-recognized scourge of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP)--a term that acknowledges Native Americans' disproportionate risk of violence, murder, or going missing.1 In addition to supporting this Act, we suggest Congress also consider amending the federal statute criminalizing unlawful flight to avoid prosecution or giving testimony to make it fully apply to tribal investigations and prosecutions.
First, deploying federal law enforcement to find missing children at the request of tribal law enforcement would be an important tool to find these kids before it is too late. Currently, the U.S. Marshals Service may only "assist State, local, and other Federal law enforcement agencies, upon the request of such an agency, in locating and recovering missing children." 28 U.S.C. Sec. 566(e)(1)(D). The Tribal Warrant Fairness Act would add tribal law enforcement agencies to that list. Tribal Warrant Fairness Act, S. , 119th Cong., Sec. 2 (2025). When a child is missing, the first 48 hours are critical;2 an all-of-governments approach can increase the likelihood of a swift and safe recovery.
Second, the Tribal Warrant Fairness Act would also allow tribal law enforcements officers to join the U.S. Marshals Service's elite Fugitive Apprehension Task Force and explicitly allow tribes to locate or apprehend fugitives through other task forces or any other lawful means. 34 U.S.C. Sec. 41503(a), (c); Tribal Warrant Fairness Act, S. , 119th Cong., Sec. 2 (2025). Importantly, the Act would also require consultation with the tribes. Tribal Warrant Fairness Act, S. , 119th Cong., Sec. 2 (2025). Many of our own offices participate in the Fugitive Apprehension Task Force, and deploying shared resources has enabled us to capture dangerous fugitives. In Oklahoma and South Dakota, for example, recent task force arrests have included fugitives charged with murder, kidnapping, and rape. Fully integrating tribal law enforcement into the Fugitive Apprehension Task Force will increase the likelihood that fugitives from tribal justice are reported to the task force and provide cutting-edge training to those who serve.
Finally, we suggest enlarging the Tribal Warrant Fairness Act to include amending Title 18, United States Code, Section 1073, which criminalizes flight to avoid prosecution or giving testimony, to ensure that the statute fully applies to efforts to flee or obstruct tribal prosecutions. This statute currently criminalizes moving or traveling "in interstate or foreign commerce" with the intent to:
(1) "avoid prosecution, or custody or confinement after conviction, under the laws of the place from which he flees, for a crime, or attempt to commit a crime, punishable by death or which is a felony under the laws of the place from which the fugitive flees";
(2) avoid testifying in criminal proceedings in which a felony or crime carrying the death penalty is charged; or
(3) "avoid service of, or contempt proceedings for alleged disobedience of, lawful process requiring attendance and the giving of testimony or the production of documentary evidence before an agency of a State empowered by the law of such State to conduct investigations of alleged criminal activities."/3
We suggest that Congress consider amending this statute to clearly apply to tribal investigations and prosecutions, including to people who avoid service of process or avoid giving testimony or producing documents in connection with tribal criminal investigations.
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We applaud Congress's continued efforts to increase tribal law enforcement agencies' full access to federal public safety resources. The Tribal Warrant Fairness Act, including our proposed expansion, is an important next step in a multi-government approach to address MMIP and to ensure equal treatment for our tribal partners.
Aaron D. Ford, Nevada Attorney General
Raul Torrezm New Mexico Attorney General
Gentner Drummond, Oklahoma Attorney General
Marty Jackley, South Dakota Attorney General
Gwen Tauiliili-Langkilde, American Samoa Attorney General
Kris Mayes, Arizona Attorney General
Tim Griffin, Arkansas Attorney General
Rob Bonta, California Attorney General
Phil Weiser, Colorado Attorney General
William Tong, Connecticut Attorney General
Kathleen Jennings, Delaware Attorney General
Brian Schwalb, District of Columbia Attorney General
Christopher M. Carr, Georgia Attorney General
Anne E. Lopez, Hawaii Attorney General
Kwame Raoul, Illinois Attorney General
Todd Rokita, Indiana Attorney General
Kris Kobach, Kansas Attorney General
Russell Coleman, Kentucky Attorney General
Liz Murrill, Louisiana Attorney General
Aaron M. Frey, Maine Attorney General
Anthony G. Brown, Maryland Attorney General
Andrea Joy Campbell, Massachusetts Attorney General
Dana Nessel, Michigan Attorney General
Keith Ellison, Minnesota Attorney General
Mike Hilgers, Nebraska Attorney General
John M. Formella, New Hampshire Attorney General
Letitia James, New York Attorney General
Jeff Jackson, North Carolina Attorney General
Drew H. Wrigley, North Dakota Attorney General
Dave Yost, Ohio Attorney General
Dan Rayfield, Oregon Attorney General
Dave Sunday, Pennsylvania Attorney General
Peter F. Neronha, Rhode Island Attorney General
Alan Wilson, South Carolina Attorney General
Jonathan Skrmetti, Tennessee Attorney General
Derek Brown, Utah Attorney General
Nick Brown, Washington Attorney General
John "JB" McCuskey, West Virginia Attorney General
Joshua L. Kaul, Wisconsin Attorney General
Cc:
Senator Catherine Cortez Mastro, 309 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, D.C.
Markwayne Mullin, 309 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, D.C.
1 Cong. Res. Serv., Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP): Overview of Recent Research, Legislation, and Selected Issues for Congress, (July 3, 2023), https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R47010.
2 U.S. Dept. Jus., Off. Just. Progs., When Your Child Is Missing: A Family Survival Guide (5th ed. 2025) at 7, https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/publications/family-survival-guide-fifth-edition.pdf.
3 The statute defines "State" as "a State of the United States, the District of Columbia, and any commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United States." 18 U.S.C. Sec. 1073.
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Original text here: https://oklahoma.gov/oag/news/newsroom/2025/november/drummond-rallies-nations-attorneys-general-to-combat-missing-and-murdered-indigenous-people-crisis.html
N.J. A.G. Platkin Sues to Block Unlawful SNAP Eligibility Guidance
TRENTON, New Jersey, Nov. 27 -- New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin issued the following news release on Nov. 26, 2025:
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Attorney General Platkin Sues to Block Unlawful SNAP Eligibility Guidance
New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin today joined 21 other attorneys general in filing a lawsuit to stop the federal government from unlawfully cutting off Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for thousands of lawful permanent residents. Attorney General Platkin and the coalition are seeking to block new guidance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
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TRENTON, New Jersey, Nov. 27 -- New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin issued the following news release on Nov. 26, 2025:
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Attorney General Platkin Sues to Block Unlawful SNAP Eligibility Guidance
New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin today joined 21 other attorneys general in filing a lawsuit to stop the federal government from unlawfully cutting off Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for thousands of lawful permanent residents. Attorney General Platkin and the coalition are seeking to block new guidance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)that wrongly treats several groups of legal immigrants as ineligible for food assistance, including permanent residents who were granted asylum or admitted as refugees. The attorneys general argue that the guidance contradicts federal law and could impose massive financial penalties on states, and are asking the court to declare the guidance unlawful.
"Once again, the Trump Administration is trying to take food from the tables of families in New Jersey - legal residents who pay taxes and did everything right - for no reason other than illegal and abject cruelty," said Attorney General Platkin. "Cutting SNAP benefits to legal residents is unlawful, unnecessary, and unthinkable at a time when families are having harder and harder time affording basic groceries. We are taking the Trump Administration to court and fighting to uphold the law so that our neighbors can feed their families."
On October 31, USDA issued new guidance to state SNAP agencies describing changes to program eligibility under the "One Big Beautiful Bill," which narrowed eligibility for certain non-citizen groups, including refugees, asylum recipients, and others admitted under humanitarian protection programs. The USDA memo incorrectly asserted that all individuals who entered the country through these humanitarian pathways would remain permanently ineligible for SNAP, even after obtaining green cards and becoming lawful permanent residents. Last week, Attorney General Platkin and 20 other attorneys general formally called on the federal administration to clarify its position or withdraw and correct the memo. The USDA has not replied.
Attorney General Platkin and the coalition emphasize that USDA's position is not mentioned in the "One Big Beautiful Bill" or in any other federal law. Federal statutes make clear that refugees, asylees, humanitarian parolees, individuals whose deportation has been withheld, and other vulnerable legal immigrants become eligible for SNAP once they obtain their green cards and meet standard program requirements. The attorneys general argue that USDA's memo illegally rewrites those rules and threatens to cut off food assistance for people who are fully eligible under the law.
The attorneys general argue that USDA's guidance also misapplies the agency's own regulations. Federal rules give states a 120-day grace period after new guidance is issued to adjust their systems without facing severe financial penalties. USDA is now claiming that this period expired on November 1, just one day after the guidance was released and before states even had a single business day to review it. The coalition argues that this interpretation is impossible under USDA's own regulations, which state that the 120-day period cannot begin until new guidance is actually issued. And because the statute also imposes a cost-shifting framework on the SNAP program for states that USDA determines have unacceptable error rates in administering the program, by disregarding its own rules, USDA is exposing states to major financial penalties for errors caused by the agency's late and inaccurate memo.
States have already begun implementing the statutory changes enacted earlier this year, but USDA's abrupt and incorrect guidance now forces them to overhaul eligibility systems overnight. The attorneys general warn that this will create widespread confusion for families, increase the risk of wrongful benefit terminations, erode public trust, and place states in an untenable situation where they must either violate federal law or accept severe financial liability. The attorneys general are asking the court to vacate the unlawful guidance and block its implementation to ensure that families do not lose critical food assistance.
Joining Attorney General Platkin in this lawsuit, which was led by the attorneys general of New York and Oregon, are the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia.
View Complaint (https://www.nj.gov/oag/newsreleases25/2025-1126_01-Complaint.pdf)
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Original text here: https://www.njoag.gov/attorney-general-platkin-sues-to-block-unlawful-snap-eligibility-guidance/
Mo. A.G. Hanaway Files Charges In Shannon County Against Three Sheriff's Office Personnel For Sexual Misconduct, Forgery, And Abuse of Power
JEFFERSON CITY, Missouri, Nov. 27 -- Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway issued the following news release on Nov. 26, 2025:
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Attorney General Hanaway Files Charges In Shannon County Against Three Sheriff's Office Personnel For Sexual Misconduct, Forgery, And Abuse of Power
Today, Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway announced that her Office, appointed by Judge Privette as special prosecutor, has filed criminal charges in Shannon County against three members of the Shannon County Sheriff's Office: Deputy Thomas R. Manning, former sheriff's deputy John D. "J.D." Melvin, and
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JEFFERSON CITY, Missouri, Nov. 27 -- Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway issued the following news release on Nov. 26, 2025:
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Attorney General Hanaway Files Charges In Shannon County Against Three Sheriff's Office Personnel For Sexual Misconduct, Forgery, And Abuse of Power
Today, Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway announced that her Office, appointed by Judge Privette as special prosecutor, has filed criminal charges in Shannon County against three members of the Shannon County Sheriff's Office: Deputy Thomas R. Manning, former sheriff's deputy John D. "J.D." Melvin, andCaptain Michael G. McCoy, following allegations of abuse and exploitation committed under the guise of law enforcement authority.
"Law enforcement officers hold positions of immense trust and responsibility," said Attorney General Hanaway. "The conduct alleged is not only illegal, but it is also predatory and a disgrace to the badge and to the honorable men and women who serve and protect our communities every day. We will work tirelessly to get these victims the justice they deserve and ensure that every individual responsible for abusing their authority is held fully accountable under the law."
The alleged conduct occurred between January 1 and July 29, 2025, while the individuals were acting in their official capacities as law enforcement officers. The Missouri State Highway Patrol conducted an investigation.
The allegations outline repeated instances in which women stopped during traffic encounters were subjected to inappropriate touching and degrading sexual comments. The charging documents further allege that McCoy and Melvin engaged in forgery involving official court documents, including the alleged falsification or transfer of a probable cause statement intended to influence judicial proceedings.
* Deputy Thomas R. Manning faces seven counts of Sexual Misconduct in the Course of Public Duty, two counts of 1st degree Sexual Abuse, three counts of Harassment 1st degree, and one count of Sodomy or Attempted Sodomy 1st degree. His bond has been set at $50,000.
* Captain Michael G. McCoy has been charged with one count of Sexual Misconduct in the Course of Public Duty and one count of Forgery, with bond set at $15,000.
* Former Deputy John D. "J.D." Melvin has been charged with one count of Forgery, and his bond has also been set at $15,000.
"The people of Shannon County deserve justice and accountability," Attorney General Hanaway continued. "We will pursue the truth and ensure that anyone who abuses their position is held responsible."
The Attorney General's Office emphasizes that law enforcement is a high calling, one that requires integrity, restraint, and compassion. The Attorney General reminds the public that the charges against the defendants are merely allegations. As in all criminal cases, the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
The full complaint form for Deputy Thomas R. Manning can be read here (https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/ago.us20.list-manage.com/track/click?u=55bd24fd8f5e7d3dc227d1072&id=725f42c3fc&e=0473b9237d__;!!EErPFA7f--AJOw!BIZAia3tpdD7XVfn-bynxCid7u9EKM2cRxVHXGYrJxf24fZdl98dI0nFVPr_x8nPV05Us4Ujq6svSY75$).
The full complaint form for former sheriff's deputy John D. "J.D." Melvin can be read here (https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/ago.us20.list-manage.com/track/click?u=55bd24fd8f5e7d3dc227d1072&id=d7329cb5bd&e=0473b9237d__;!!EErPFA7f--AJOw!BIZAia3tpdD7XVfn-bynxCid7u9EKM2cRxVHXGYrJxf24fZdl98dI0nFVPr_x8nPV05Us4Ujq1XWUAXF$).
The full complaint form for Captain Michael G. McCoy can be read here (https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/ago.us20.list-manage.com/track/click?u=55bd24fd8f5e7d3dc227d1072&id=d3503953b1&e=0473b9237d__;!!EErPFA7f--AJOw!BIZAia3tpdD7XVfn-bynxCid7u9EKM2cRxVHXGYrJxf24fZdl98dI0nFVPr_x8nPV05Us4Ujq7gTh0eU$).
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Original text here: https://ago.mo.gov/attorney-general-hanaway-files-charges-in-shannon-county-against-three-sheriffs-office-personnel-for-sexual-misconduct-forgery-and-abuse-of-power/
Md. A.G. Brown Sues to Block Unlawful SNAP Eligibility Guidance
BALTIMORE, Maryland, Nov. 27 -- Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown issued the following news release on Nov. 26, 2025:
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Attorney General Brown Sues to Block Unlawful SNAP Eligibility Guidance
Attorney General Anthony G. Brown today joined 21 other attorneys general in filing a lawsuit to stop the federal government from unlawfully cutting off Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for thousands of lawful permanent residents. Attorney General Brown and the coalition are seeking to block new guidance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that wrongly treats
... Show Full Article
BALTIMORE, Maryland, Nov. 27 -- Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown issued the following news release on Nov. 26, 2025:
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Attorney General Brown Sues to Block Unlawful SNAP Eligibility Guidance
Attorney General Anthony G. Brown today joined 21 other attorneys general in filing a lawsuit to stop the federal government from unlawfully cutting off Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for thousands of lawful permanent residents. Attorney General Brown and the coalition are seeking to block new guidance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that wrongly treatsseveral groups of legal immigrants as ineligible for food assistance, including permanent residents who were granted asylum or admitted as refugees. The attorneys general argue that the guidance contradicts federal law and could impose massive financial penalties on states and are asking the court to declare the guidance unlawful.
"The Trump Administration is doing everything possible to target immigrants - even taking food from Marylanders' tables," said Attorney General Brown. "Our Office refuses to let people starve as part of the federal immigration crackdown."
On October 31, USDA issued new guidance to state SNAP agencies describing changes to program eligibility under the "One Big Beautiful Bill," which narrowed eligibility for certain non-citizen groups, including refugees, asylum recipients, and others admitted under humanitarian protection programs. The USDA memo, however, incorrectly asserts that all individuals who entered the country through these humanitarian pathways would remain permanently ineligible for SNAP, even after obtaining green cards and becoming lawful permanent residents.
Attorney General Brown and the coalition emphasize that this position is not mentioned in the "One Big Beautiful Bill" or in any other federal law. Federal statutes make clear that refugees, asylees, humanitarian parolees, individuals whose deportation has been withheld, and other vulnerable legal immigrants become eligible for SNAP once they obtain their green cards and meet standard program requirements. The attorneys general argue that USDA's memo unlawfully rewrites those rules and threatens to cut off food assistance for people who are fully eligible under the law.
The attorneys general argue that USDA's guidance also misapplies the agency's own regulations. Federal rules give states a 120-day grace period after new guidance is issued to adjust their systems without facing severe financial penalties. USDA is now claiming that this period expired on November 1, just one day after the guidance was released and before states even had a single business day to review it. The coalition argues that this interpretation is impossible under USDA's own regulations, which state that the 120-day period cannot begin until new guidance is actually issued. And because the statute also imposes a cost-shifting framework on the SNAP program for states that USDA determines have unacceptable error rates in administering the program, by disregarding its own rules, USDA is exposing states to major financial penalties for errors caused by the agency's late and inaccurate memo.
States have already begun implementing the statutory changes enacted earlier this year, but USDA's abrupt and incorrect guidance now forces them to overhaul eligibility systems overnight. The attorneys general warn that this will create widespread confusion for families, increase the risk of wrongful benefit terminations, erode public trust, and place states in an untenable situation where they must either violate federal law or accept severe financial liability. The attorneys general are asking the court to vacate the unlawful guidance and block its implementation to ensure that families do not lose critical food assistance.
Joining Attorney General Brown in this lawsuit, are the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin.
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Original text here: https://oag.maryland.gov/News/pages/Attorney-General-Brown-Sues-to-Block-Unlawful-SNAP-Eligibility-Guidance--.aspx
Md. A.G. Brown Co-leads Brief Defending State Voter Databases From Federal Overreach Amid Privacy Concerns
BALTIMORE, Maryland, Nov. 27 -- Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown issued the following news release on Nov. 26, 2025:
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Attorney General Brown Co-leads Brief Defending State Voter Databases from Federal Overreach Amid Privacy Concerns
Attorney General Anthony G. Brown today co-led a coalition of 16 attorneys general in filing an amicus brief supporting California's motion to dismiss a federal lawsuit demanding complete, unredacted voter registration databases from states across the country.
The brief, filed in United States v. Shirley Weber, et al. in the U.S. District Court for
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BALTIMORE, Maryland, Nov. 27 -- Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown issued the following news release on Nov. 26, 2025:
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Attorney General Brown Co-leads Brief Defending State Voter Databases from Federal Overreach Amid Privacy Concerns
Attorney General Anthony G. Brown today co-led a coalition of 16 attorneys general in filing an amicus brief supporting California's motion to dismiss a federal lawsuit demanding complete, unredacted voter registration databases from states across the country.
The brief, filed in United States v. Shirley Weber, et al. in the U.S. District Court forthe Central District of California, argues that the federal government's demand is part of a larger effort to aggregate personal information, collected by states, about the people who live in the country. The brief points out, though, that the federal government lacks legal authority to compel states to turn over sensitive voter data and that such demands violate both the Constitution's protection of state authority over elections and federal privacy laws.
"Maryland voters deserve to cast ballots without worrying that their registration information will be mishandled," said Attorney General Brown. "The administration's unlawful demands threaten both individual privacy and our collective confidence in our elections. We won't allow federal overreach to undermine voting rights or discourage participation in our democracy."
The federal government has demanded voter database information from 42 states and has filed lawsuits against seven states in addition to California. The requested data includes personally identifying information such as partial Social Security numbers and driver's license numbers, and could also include information about voters' party affiliation, disability status, and participation history. The unredacted information could expose participants in address confidentiality programs designed to protect victims of domestic violence, sexual assault survivors, law enforcement officers, and judicial officials.
The brief places these voter data demands in the broader context of unprecedented federal efforts to collect and aggregate Americans' personal information. Similar demands have been made for state SNAP and Medicaid data, with courts already issuing preliminary injunctions blocking some of these efforts as unlawful.
The brief argues that the Department of Justice's demands exceed its authority under three federal statutes the government cites in support of its efforts: the Help America Vote Act, the National Voter Registration Act, and the Civil Rights Act of 1960. None of these laws authorize the sweeping collection of sensitive voter information, and the Civil Rights Act's record inspection authority was specifically designed to investigate racial discrimination in voting - not to conduct general compliance reviews.
Additionally, the brief argues that the federal government has failed to comply with the Privacy Act of 1974, which requires agencies to follow specific procedures before collecting personal information and strictly limits what data may be collected and how it may be shared. The Act specifically prohibits agencies from retaining records describing how individuals exercise First Amendment rights unless expressly authorized by statute.
Joining Attorney General Brown in filing the brief are the attorneys general of Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington.
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Original text here: https://oag.maryland.gov/News/pages/Attorney-General-Brown-Co-leads-Brief-Defending-State-Voter-Databases-from-Federal-Overreach-Amid-Privacy-Concerns.aspx
