Attorney General
Here's a look at documents from state attorneys general
Featured Stories
West Virginia Co-Leads 23 States in Supreme Court Brief Defending Farmer Facing $2 Million in Federal Fines
CHARLESTON, West Virginia, Jan. 10 -- The West Virginia Attorney General John B. McCuskey issued the following news release:
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West Virginia co-leads 23 States in Supreme Court brief defending farmer facing $2 million in federal fines
West Virginia Attorney General JB McCuskey is co-leading with Nebraska an amicus brief defending Jeffrey Andrews, a Connecticut farmer who is facing $2 million in federal fines for allegedly violating the Clean Water Act (CWA). The amicus, or friend of the court, brief was signed by attorneys general from West Virginia, Nebraska and 21 other states and argues
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CHARLESTON, West Virginia, Jan. 10 -- The West Virginia Attorney General John B. McCuskey issued the following news release:
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West Virginia co-leads 23 States in Supreme Court brief defending farmer facing $2 million in federal fines
West Virginia Attorney General JB McCuskey is co-leading with Nebraska an amicus brief defending Jeffrey Andrews, a Connecticut farmer who is facing $2 million in federal fines for allegedly violating the Clean Water Act (CWA). The amicus, or friend of the court, brief was signed by attorneys general from West Virginia, Nebraska and 21 other states and arguesthat states, not the federal government, should control most water regulation within their borders.
The federal government sued Andrews, alleging he discharged fill material--which they called "pollutants"--into approximately 13.3 acres of wetlands on his property without a required permit.
The brief, filed in Andrews v. United States, argues that federal courts continue to ignore the Supreme Court's clear 2023 ruling in Sackett v. EPA, which strictly limited federal jurisdiction over wetlands under the Clean Water Act. The Court ruled that federal jurisdiction extends only to wetlands with a "continuous surface connection" to navigable waters--meaning wetlands that are "as a practical matter indistinguishable" from traditional navigable rivers, lakes, and streams. The decision was intended to end decades of confusion and restore the state-federal balance Congress originally intended.
"The Supreme Court has spoken three times on this issue, yet lower courts still refuse to respect the constitutional limits on federal power. A farmer shouldn't face $2 million in fines because rainwater temporarily runs across his land. This federal overreach tramples on state sovereignty and costs landowners, businesses, and taxpayers trillions of dollars," Attorney General McCuskey said.
The brief details how federal agencies have repeatedly exceeded their statutory authority over the past 50 years, despite Congress's clear intent to preserve state control over water regulation. Since the Founding, states have held primary responsibility for regulating waters within their borders, and at least 30 states--including West Virginia--have their own comprehensive wetland protection laws.
The states are asking the Supreme Court to hear this case and issue a quick reversal, reminding lower courts that the federal government's power over wetlands is limited to only those waters Congress authorized it to regulate.
This amicus brief follows Attorney General McCuskey's recent leadership of a 20-state coalition that submitted formal comments to the Trump Administration supporting reforms to the Waters of the United States (WOTUS) definition.
Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas and Wyoming joined West Virginia and Nebraska in the brief.
Read the brief here (https://ago.wv.gov/media/37681/download?inline).
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Original text here: https://ago.wv.gov/article/west-virginia-co-leads-23-states-supreme-court-brief-defending-farmer-facing-2-million
Former Huron County Funeral Home Director to Stand Trial on 39 Felonies in Alleged Embezzlement Scheme
LANSING, Michigan, Jan. 9 -- Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel issued the following news release:
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Former Huron County Funeral Home Director to Stand Trial on 39 Felonies in Alleged Embezzlement Scheme
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LANSING - Today, Terry Alvin Kaufman, 72, of Bad Axe, waived preliminary examination and was bound over to stand trial in the 52nd Circuit Court in Huron County for allegedly embezzling and converting funds he received for prepaid funerals and funeral insurance policies, announced Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. Kaufman, who founded and operated Kaufman & Co. Funeral Home in
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LANSING, Michigan, Jan. 9 -- Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel issued the following news release:
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Former Huron County Funeral Home Director to Stand Trial on 39 Felonies in Alleged Embezzlement Scheme
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LANSING - Today, Terry Alvin Kaufman, 72, of Bad Axe, waived preliminary examination and was bound over to stand trial in the 52nd Circuit Court in Huron County for allegedly embezzling and converting funds he received for prepaid funerals and funeral insurance policies, announced Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. Kaufman, who founded and operated Kaufman & Co. Funeral Home inHuron County, has been charged with:
* One count of Conducting a Criminal Enterprise, a 20-year felony;
* Two counts of Embezzlement by an Agent $20,000 or More But Less Than $50,000, each a 10-year felony;
* Five counts of Embezzlement by an Agent $1,000 or More But Less Than $20,000, each a 5-year felony; and
* 31 counts of Conversion of Funeral Contracts, each a 5-year felony.
Kaufman allegedly collected $192,824.98 through the Huron County Public Guardian but failed to properly escrow any of the funds. Instead, Kaufman is accused of embezzling and converting money from 55 victims to his own use, including paying his own salary, over the past 10 years.
"When families prepay for funeral services, they expect the funds to be handled with integrity, not siphoned off for personal gain," said Nessel at the time of arraignment. "My office remains committed to holding those who commit such criminal enterprises accountable to the fullest extent of the law."
Kaufman will next appear in the 52nd Circuit Court on February 2 before Judge Gerald M. Prill.
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Original text here: https://www.michigan.gov/ag/news/press-releases/2026/01/09/former-huron-county-funeral-home-director
Attorney General Ken Paxton Secures Victory Against San Antonio After the City Illegally Tried to Fund Out-of-State Abortion Tourism
AUSTIN, Texas, Jan. 9 -- Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton issued the following news release:
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Attorney General Ken Paxton Secures Victory Against San Antonio After the City Illegally Tried to Fund Out-of-State Abortion Tourism
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Attorney General Ken Paxton has secured victory against the City of San Antonio after the city allocated taxpayer dollars to fund travel for women going out-of-state to abort their unborn children.
"Texas respects the sanctity of unborn life, and I will always do everything in my power to prevent radicals from manipulating the system to murder innocent babies,"
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AUSTIN, Texas, Jan. 9 -- Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton issued the following news release:
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Attorney General Ken Paxton Secures Victory Against San Antonio After the City Illegally Tried to Fund Out-of-State Abortion Tourism
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Attorney General Ken Paxton has secured victory against the City of San Antonio after the city allocated taxpayer dollars to fund travel for women going out-of-state to abort their unborn children.
"Texas respects the sanctity of unborn life, and I will always do everything in my power to prevent radicals from manipulating the system to murder innocent babies,"said Attorney General Paxton. "It is illegal for cities to fund abortion tourism with taxpayer funds. San Antonio's unlawful attempt to cover the travel and other expenses for out-of-state abortions has now officially been defeated."
Following Attorney General Paxton's aggressive legal action and the passage of Senate Bill 33, which bans taxpayer funds from being used to fund abortion-related activities, the City of San Antonio has capitulated and has officially ended abortion tourism programs.
The City of San Antonio previously established a $100,000 Reproductive Justice Fund to cover travel for out-of-state abortions, which Attorney General Paxton has forced an end to.
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Original text here: https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/news/releases/attorney-general-ken-paxton-secures-victory-against-san-antonio-after-city-illegally-tried-fund-out
Attorney General James Wins More than $4.2 Million for Chinese Immigrant Families Defrauded by Brooklyn Property Owner
ALBANY, New York, Jan. 9 -- New York Attorney General Letitia James issued the following news release:
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Attorney General James Wins More than $4.2 Million for Chinese Immigrant Families Defrauded by Brooklyn Property Owner
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January 9, 2026
NEW YORK - New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced a major victory in her lawsuit against Brooklyn property owner Xi Hui "Steven" Wu, securing more than $4.2 million plus nearly a decade of interest for at least 20 Chinese immigrant families he defrauded out of their life savings. In a summary judgment ruling, New York County Supreme
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ALBANY, New York, Jan. 9 -- New York Attorney General Letitia James issued the following news release:
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Attorney General James Wins More than $4.2 Million for Chinese Immigrant Families Defrauded by Brooklyn Property Owner
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January 9, 2026
NEW YORK - New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced a major victory in her lawsuit against Brooklyn property owner Xi Hui "Steven" Wu, securing more than $4.2 million plus nearly a decade of interest for at least 20 Chinese immigrant families he defrauded out of their life savings. In a summary judgment ruling, New York County SupremeCourt found Wu and his companies liable for fraud after determining that he illegally sold non-existent condominium units in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, and unlawfully collected millions of dollars in down payments and fees from immigrant families who believed they were buying homes. Attorney General James sued Wu, his ex-wife Xiao Rong Yang, and his companies TCJ Construction Inc. and 345 Ovington LLC in 2022 after an Office of the Attorney General (OAG) investigation found that Wu orchestrated a years-long scheme to sell fake condominium units and steal more than $5 million from families in his own community. Today, the court awarded $4,227,888 in restitution, plus nine percent interest dating back to 2016, with the full amount to be returned to the families Wu defrauded.
"Steven Wu preyed on hardworking immigrant families, abused their trust, and stole the savings they had set aside to build a stable future," said Attorney General James. "These families believed they were buying homes, when in reality, they were being sold nothing but lies. This order returns money to the families Wu cheated and ensures he can never again exploit New Yorkers through fraudulent real estate schemes. I am thrilled that these families will finally see justice."
"We are grateful to Attorney General James and happy for the 20 families at 345 Ovington Street who have finally seen justice prevail after nearly losing everything as a result of this fraudulent scheme," said Thomas Yu, Executive Director of Asian Americans for Equality (AAFE). "Not only did Attorney General James successfully prosecute this case, but she worked with the residents and AAFE to prevent any evictions and ensure that the dream of homeownership stayed alive for these families. We are proud to have collaborated with the Attorney General and other city and state officials to rescue the building from bankruptcy and to facilitate the redevelopment of 345 Ovington as a middle-income cooperative."
In January 2013, Wu submitted an offering plan to OAG for a proposed 25-unit condominium building at 345 Ovington Avenue in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. While the offering plan was filed with OAG, Wu never completed the required steps with the New York City Department of Finance to legally create a condominium. The building was never subdivided into individual units, no separate tax lots were established, and no lawful condominium deeds were ever created.
Despite having no legal authority to sell condominium units, Wu proceeded to "sell" units to at least 20 immigrant families, many of whom moved into the building under the assumption that they owned their homes. Wu targeted families who trusted him as a prominent developer in the neighborhood and relied on informal, single-page agreements written in Chinese, rather than formal purchase contracts as required by law. In reality, there were no condominium units to sell, and the families received no legal ownership interest in exchange for their payments.
In addition to collecting down payments and in some cases, full payments from the families, Wu also collected monthly residential mortgage payments from many of the residents who did not pay for their units in full. Nearly all of the residents were also making monthly payments to Wu, which they believed were for condominium common charges. However, because no condominium actually existed, these payments were essentially direct payments to Wu. Over several years, Wu stole more than $5 million from immigrant families, draining their life savings while using the money to cover his own loans and construction expenses.
The OAG also found that Wu repeatedly lied to regulators and fabricated documents in an effort to conceal his fraud. When questioned by OAG, Wu submitted fake purchase agreements and escrow documentation to make it appear that he lawfully collected and held purchaser deposits. In fact, Wu failed to place any of the purchaser deposits in escrow accounts, instead pocketing the families' real payments, in direct violation of New York law.
In November 2025, New York County Supreme Court Judge Anar Patel found that Wu violated the Martin Act and Executive Law 63(12) and permanently barred him from conducting business in New York. In a supplemental order issued this week, the court ordered Wu to pay $4,227,888 in restitution, plus nearly ten years of statutory interest.
This matter is being handled by Assistant Attorney General Nicholas Minella, Assistant Attorney General Nicole Lubell, and Chief of Enforcement Louis Solomon, with assistance from Legal Assistant 2 Brenda Heredia, of the Real Estate Finance Bureau, under the supervision of Bureau Chief Jacqueline Dischell. The Real Estate Finance Bureau is a part of the Division for Social Justice, which is led by Chief Deputy Attorney General Meghan Faux and overseen by First Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy.
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Original text here: https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/2026/attorney-general-james-wins-more-42-million-chinese-immigrant-families-defrauded
Attorney General Griffin Praises Federal Court Judgment Declaring Race-Based Quotas for Government Boards Unconstitutional
LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas, Jan. 9 -- Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin issued the following news release:
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Attorney General Griffin Praises Federal Court Judgment Declaring Race-Based Quotas for Government Boards Unconstitutional
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Griffin: 'With this injunction now in place, Arkansans of all races will be given fair and equal consideration for appointment'
LITTLE ROCK - Attorney General Tim Griffin issued the following statement after a federal district judge issued a declaratory judgment and permanent injunction in Greene v. Griffin:
"The United States District Court for the Eastern
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LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas, Jan. 9 -- Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin issued the following news release:
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Attorney General Griffin Praises Federal Court Judgment Declaring Race-Based Quotas for Government Boards Unconstitutional
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Griffin: 'With this injunction now in place, Arkansans of all races will be given fair and equal consideration for appointment'
LITTLE ROCK - Attorney General Tim Griffin issued the following statement after a federal district judge issued a declaratory judgment and permanent injunction in Greene v. Griffin:
"The United States District Court for the EasternDistrict of Arkansas today has righted a wrong that for too long allowed discrimination to be enshrined in state statute. The court has issued a permanent injunction, declaring that the requirement that the Arkansas Ethics Commission must include at least one member of a minority race is an unconstitutional racial quota that violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. The court's ruling follows a joint motion that I filed yesterday with the plaintiff in this case asking for the injunction.
"I first noted my objection to this blatantly unconstitutional requirement enshrined in state law last summer when I refused to make an appointment to the Arkansas Ethics Commission based on the color of an appointee's skin. Appointments to government boards and commissions should be based on one's qualifications, not meeting racial quotas. With this injunction now in place, Arkansans of all races will be given fair and equal consideration for appointment."
To read the court's order, click here.
To download a PDF version of this release, click here.
About Attorney General Tim Griffin
Tim Griffin was sworn in as the 57th Attorney General of Arkansas on January 10, 2023, having previously served as the state's 20th Lieutenant Governor from 2015-2023. From 2011-2015, Griffin served as the 24th representative of Arkansas's Second Congressional District, where he served on the House Committee on Ways and Means, House Armed Services Committee, House Committee on Foreign Affairs, House Committee on Ethics and House Committee on the Judiciary while also serving as a Deputy Whip for the Majority.
Griffin is currently an officer in the Arkansas Army National Guard and holds the rank of colonel. Griffin served as an officer in the U.S. Army Reserve Judge Advocate General's (JAG) Corps for more than 28 years. In 2005, Griffin was mobilized to active duty as an Army prosecutor at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, and served with the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) in Mosul, Iraq.
His previous assignments include serving as the Commander of the 2d Legal Operations Detachment in New Orleans, Louisiana; the Commander of the 134th Legal Operations Detachment at Fort Bragg, North Carolina; and as a Senior Legislative Advisor to the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness at the Pentagon. Griffin earned a master's degree in strategic studies as a Distinguished Honor Graduate from the U.S. Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania.
Griffin also served as U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, and Special Assistant to the President and Deputy Director of Political Affairs for President George W. Bush; Special Assistant to Assistant Attorney General Michael Chertoff, Criminal Division, U.S. Department of Justice; Special Assistant U.S. Attorney, U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Arkansas; Senior Investigative Counsel, Government Reform and Oversight Committee, U.S. House of Representatives; and Associate Independent Counsel, Office of Independent Counsel David M. Barrett, In re: HUD Secretary Henry Cisneros.
Griffin is a graduate of Magnolia High School, Hendrix College in Conway, and Tulane Law School in New Orleans. He attended graduate school at Oxford University. He is admitted to practice law in Arkansas (active) and Louisiana (inactive). Griffin lives in Little Rock with his wife, Elizabeth, a Camden native, and their three children.
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Original text here: https://arkansasag.gov/news-release/attorney-general-griffin-praises-federal-court-judgment-declaring-race-based-quotas-for-government-boards-unconstitutional/
Attorney General Bonta: Kinship DNA Match, Collaborative Law Enforcement Work Leads to Resolution of Cold Case Murders
SACRAMENTO, California, Jan. 9 -- California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued the following news release:
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Attorney General Bonta: Kinship DNA Match, Collaborative Law Enforcement Work Leads to Resolution of Cold Case Murders
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OAKLAND California Attorney General Rob Bonta today issued a statement on the conviction of Paul Allen Perez this week for multiple counts of murder and one count of assault on a child under eight with force likely to produce great bodily injury resulting in death by a jury in Yolo County. The prosecution was handled by the Yolo County District Attorney's Office.
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SACRAMENTO, California, Jan. 9 -- California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued the following news release:
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Attorney General Bonta: Kinship DNA Match, Collaborative Law Enforcement Work Leads to Resolution of Cold Case Murders
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OAKLAND California Attorney General Rob Bonta today issued a statement on the conviction of Paul Allen Perez this week for multiple counts of murder and one count of assault on a child under eight with force likely to produce great bodily injury resulting in death by a jury in Yolo County. The prosecution was handled by the Yolo County District Attorney's Office.The California Department of Justice's Bureau of Forensic Services (BFS) provided assistance to the investigating agencies.
"With this conviction, justice was served for these horrific crimes," said Attorney General Bonta. "This case is a powerful example of how innovative scientific techniques provide a voice for victims of crime. I am incredibly proud of the work our Bureau of Forensic Services put into this case, which provided a pathway to justice. I'm also grateful to the Yolo County District Attorney's Office and all of our law enforcement partners for their dedication to finding justice for these children."
The conviction resolves a cold case that revolved around the murders of five infants between 1992 and 2001. In 2007, an infant's remains were found in the Conway Slough east of Woodland. Though DNA from the remains was routinely searched to identify them, it wasn't until 2017 that Paul Allen Perez was determined to be the infant's biological father when BFS's Missing Persons DNA Program and Cal-DNA Data Bank collaborated to identify a DNA kinship link. Following this lead, local investigators were able to build a case against Perez.
The California Department of Justice Missing Persons DNA Program (MPDP), established in 2001, is responsible for providing DNA testing to address all cases of missing persons and unidentified human remains throughout the state. To this end, the MPDP works with coroners, medical examiners, and law enforcement agencies from all of California's 58 counties to ensure that all cases have been submitted for DNA testing. The MPDP compares DNA from unidentified persons and unidentified human remains with DNA from personal articles belonging to missing persons and DNA from relatives of missing persons with the sole purpose of contributing to the effort of identifying missing persons and bringing closure to their families.
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Original text here: https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-bonta-kinship-dna-match-collaborative-law-enforcement-work
Attorney General Alan Wilson fights against burdensome gun restrictions
COLUMBIA, South Carolina, Jan. 9 -- South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson issued the following news:
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Attorney General Alan Wilson fights against burdensome gun restrictions
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(COLUMBIA, S.C.) - Attorney General Alan Wilson joined two friend-of-the-court briefs opposing laws that curb the Second Amendment rights of citizens in two states.
California law requires a background check every time an individual purchases ammunition, and an ammunition sale to a California resident must occur in a "face-to-face transaction with a California-licensed seller." To avoid a six- to seven-day
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COLUMBIA, South Carolina, Jan. 9 -- South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson issued the following news:
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Attorney General Alan Wilson fights against burdensome gun restrictions
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(COLUMBIA, S.C.) - Attorney General Alan Wilson joined two friend-of-the-court briefs opposing laws that curb the Second Amendment rights of citizens in two states.
California law requires a background check every time an individual purchases ammunition, and an ammunition sale to a California resident must occur in a "face-to-face transaction with a California-licensed seller." To avoid a six- to seven-daywait for background check results, residents can register their firearms with the state's "Automated Firearms System," but that system wrongly denies the purchaser at least 11% of the time.
Another infringement is occurring in New Jersey, where a statute bans the public carry of firearms in "sensitive places." That list includes zoos, parks, beaches, sites where alcohol is served, entertainment facilities, and public recreation facilities, among others.
"As our states' top prosecutors, we're in favor of making our communities safer," Attorney General Wilson stated. "These restrictions in California and New Jersey infringe on the Second Amendment rights of their citizens."
"Our Founding Fathers did not restrict the right to bear arms to 'non-sensitive' places," Attorney General Wilson continued. "This right is vital to those in high-crime areas where law enforcement is stretched thin. These citizens' ability to purchase ammunition and protect themselves in public places should not be infringed upon."
Attorney General Wilson is joined in these briefs by over 20 other attorneys general across the nation.
You can read the briefs here and here.
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Original text here: https://www.scag.gov/about-the-office/news/attorney-general-alan-wilson-fights-against-burdensome-gun-restrictions/
