Attorney General
Here's a look at documents from state attorneys general
Featured Stories
East Middlebury Resident Charged with Lewd and Lascivious Conduct, Enabling Underage Consumption of Cannabis and Alcohol
MONTPELIER, Vermont, June 5 -- Vermont Attorney General Charity Clark posted the following news release:
* * *
East Middlebury Resident Charged with Lewd and Lascivious Conduct, Enabling Underage Consumption of Cannabis and Alcohol
*
The Attorney General's Office announced that Robert Martineit, 44, of East Montpelier, Vermont, was arraigned today on one felony count of Lewd and Lascivious Conduct, one misdemeanor count of Enabling the Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor and one misdemeanor count of Enabling the Consumption of Cannabis. The charges brought against Mr. Martineit were the result
... Show Full Article
MONTPELIER, Vermont, June 5 -- Vermont Attorney General Charity Clark posted the following news release:
* * *
East Middlebury Resident Charged with Lewd and Lascivious Conduct, Enabling Underage Consumption of Cannabis and Alcohol
*
The Attorney General's Office announced that Robert Martineit, 44, of East Montpelier, Vermont, was arraigned today on one felony count of Lewd and Lascivious Conduct, one misdemeanor count of Enabling the Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor and one misdemeanor count of Enabling the Consumption of Cannabis. The charges brought against Mr. Martineit were the resultof an investigation conducted by members of the Middlebury Police Department.
Mr. Martineit pleaded not guilty at the arraignment today in Vermont Superior Court, Addison Criminal Division. The Court, Judge Alison Arms presiding, ordered Mr. Martineit to obey conditions of release during the pendency of his case, including that he not contact or harass any case witnesses, he not initiate or maintain contact with any female persons under the age of 16, he not abuse or harass any minor age 16 or under, and he not engage in violent or threatening conduct.
The Attorney General's Office emphasizes that individuals charged with a crime are legally presumed innocent until their guilt is proven beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Contact: Lauren Jandl, Chief of Staff, 802-828-3171
***
Original text here: https://ago.vermont.gov/blog/2026/06/05/east-middlebury-resident-charged-lewd-and-lascivious-conduct-enabling-underage-consumption-cannabis
Attorney General Ken Paxton Stops City of Denton from Permitting Radical Organizations to Allow Men into Changing Rooms with Women and Children at City of Denton Public Pool
AUSTIN, Texas, June 5 -- Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton issued the following news release:
* * *
Attorney General Ken Paxton Stops City of Denton from Permitting Radical Organizations to Allow Men into Changing Rooms with Women and Children at City of Denton Public Pool
*
Attorney General Ken Paxton secured a major victory protecting women and children after the City of Denton agreed to comply with Texas law and prevent grown men from sharing changing rooms with women and children. The victory comes ahead of a June 7, 2026 event dubbed "Big Gay Swim Day," organized by two nonprofit groups-PRIDENTON
... Show Full Article
AUSTIN, Texas, June 5 -- Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton issued the following news release:
* * *
Attorney General Ken Paxton Stops City of Denton from Permitting Radical Organizations to Allow Men into Changing Rooms with Women and Children at City of Denton Public Pool
*
Attorney General Ken Paxton secured a major victory protecting women and children after the City of Denton agreed to comply with Texas law and prevent grown men from sharing changing rooms with women and children. The victory comes ahead of a June 7, 2026 event dubbed "Big Gay Swim Day," organized by two nonprofit groups-PRIDENTONand OUTreach Denton-at the Quakertown Civic Center (the "Center").
Following legal action by Attorney General Paxton, the City of Denton agreed to maintain its existing sex-specific changing room designations and take multiple steps to ensure compliance with the Texas Women's Privacy Act, also known as Senate Bill 8. Specifically, the City agreed to maintain its usual signage separating the men's and women's changing areas and prevent any alteration or coverage of changing room signs. They also will prohibit renters from operating gender-neutral changing areas on the premises and require event organizers to commit to following Texas law.
The agreement comes after Attorney General Paxton sued the City of Denton and city officials to stop the creation of multiple-occupancy "gender-neutral" changing rooms at the publicly owned, child-friendly swimming facility. Texas law requires publicly owned private spaces, including changing rooms, to be designated on the basis of biological sex and mandates that governmental entities take reasonable steps to prevent individuals of the opposite sex from entering those spaces.
"This is a major victory for the privacy and safety of women and children," said Attorney General Paxton. "The City of Denton has now agreed to follow the law and ensure that men are not allowed in women's and girl's changing areas. I will continue to ensure that every government entity in Texas complies with our laws protecting women and children."
***
Original text here: https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/news/releases/attorney-general-ken-paxton-stops-city-denton-permitting-radical-organizations-allow-men-changing
Attorney General Jeff Jackson Defends Antitrust Enforcement in Chemours Case
RALEIGH, North Carolina, June 5 -- North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson issued the following news release:
* * *
Attorney General Jeff Jackson Defends Antitrust Enforcement in Chemours Case
*
Raleigh-Attorney General Jeff Jackson is fighting to protect North Carolinians from anticompetitive behavior by urging a federal appeals court to ensure that when antitrust cases are heard, the conduct is considered in its entirety instead of on a piece-by-piece basis. That big-picture consideration of a company's conduct is central to proving anticompetitive behavior.
"When companies engage
... Show Full Article
RALEIGH, North Carolina, June 5 -- North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson issued the following news release:
* * *
Attorney General Jeff Jackson Defends Antitrust Enforcement in Chemours Case
*
Raleigh-Attorney General Jeff Jackson is fighting to protect North Carolinians from anticompetitive behavior by urging a federal appeals court to ensure that when antitrust cases are heard, the conduct is considered in its entirety instead of on a piece-by-piece basis. That big-picture consideration of a company's conduct is central to proving anticompetitive behavior.
"When companies engagein anticompetitive tactics, their customers end up paying more and having fewer choices," said Attorney General Jeff Jackson. "We must be able to effectively enforce antitrust laws, and I urge the court to make sure it doesn't become more difficult to do so."
Attorney General Jackson filed an amicus brief in the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals in a case about Chemours allegedly illegally monopolizing part of the HVAC refrigerant market.
Chemours developed a refrigerant called R-454B in response to federal regulations that required manufacturers to use chemicals that were less likely to harm the environment. It is used in HVAC systems in homes and some businesses.
Other chemical manufacturers sued The Chemours Company FC, LLC, and Mexichem Fluor, Inc., under Section 2 of the Sherman Antitrust Act and other laws. The plaintiffs accused the defendants of monopolizing the sales of all refrigerants in the United States, including R-454B, through a complex scheme that involved misrepresenting that R-454B was patented, exclusive contracting, threats, and more. A district court judge dismissed the case, and the plaintiffs appealed.
Attorney General Jackson's amicus brief argues that the district court was wrong to evaluate the alleged Section 2 monopoly conduct separately instead of evaluating it as a whole. He argues that the district court failed to apply the precedent set in a North Carolina case, Duke Energy v. NTE Carolinas, which established that alleged anticompetitive conduct should be evaluated together instead of as individual components, to this case.
States are among those responsible for enforcing federal antitrust laws. The amicus brief notes that the district court's ruling would make it more difficult to do so and emphasizes the importance of not placing unjustified burdens on plaintiffs who bring antitrust claims.
Attorney General Jeff Jackson has previously fought to protect North Carolinians from companies that violate antitrust laws. Earlier this month, he shut down a secret data exchange that raised prices on chicken, pork, and turkey. In April, he won a court order temporarily freezing the Nexstar and Tegna TV Merger and won a seven-week long trial against Live Nation and Ticketmaster on all claims. He is also suing the software company RealPage for allegedly exploiting landlords' competitively sensitive information to create a pricing algorithm that violated antitrust laws and raised rent prices.
***
Original text here: https://ncdoj.gov/attorney-general-jeff-jackson-defends-antitrust-enforcement-in-chemours-case/
Attorney General James Wins Court Order Protecting Food Security and Agricultural Funding
ALBANY, New York, June 5 -- New York Attorney General Letitia James issued the following news release:
* * *
Attorney General James Wins Court Order Protecting Food Security and Agricultural Funding
*
NEW YORK - New York Attorney General Letitia James today released the following statement after a federal judge blocked the Trump administration from imposing vague, sweeping new conditions on U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) funding:
"For the sixth time, a federal court has stopped this administration from holding our federal funding hostage to force states into submission. These unlawful
... Show Full Article
ALBANY, New York, June 5 -- New York Attorney General Letitia James issued the following news release:
* * *
Attorney General James Wins Court Order Protecting Food Security and Agricultural Funding
*
NEW YORK - New York Attorney General Letitia James today released the following statement after a federal judge blocked the Trump administration from imposing vague, sweeping new conditions on U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) funding:
"For the sixth time, a federal court has stopped this administration from holding our federal funding hostage to force states into submission. These unlawfulconditions would have threatened food for families and critical support for farmers across New York.
"Eventually, the administration will have to accept that it cannot use federal funding as a weapon to coerce states into surrendering their rights. Until then, my office will keep fighting to protect New Yorkers and stop the federal government from punishing our state for refusing to bend."
On March 23, Attorney General James and 20 other attorneys general filed a lawsuit challenging USDA's new grant conditions, which required states to certify compliance with broad, undefined federal "policies" related to "gender ideology," immigration, "fair athletic opportunities," and other political priorities in order to receive funding. If states refused to certify compliance, they risked losing billions of dollars in USDA funding.
Today, the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts granted the coalition's motion for a preliminary injunction, temporarily blocking the administration from imposing these unlawful conditions and protecting more than $9.7 billion in USDA funding for New York.
***
Original text here: https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/2026/attorney-general-james-wins-court-order-protecting-food-security-and
Attorney General Bonta Sends Comment Letter to EPA on Microplastics
SACRAMENTO, California, June 5 -- California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued the following news release:
* * *
Attorney General Bonta Sends Comment Letter to EPA on Microplastics
*
OAKLAND -California Attorney General Rob Bonta today joined a multistate coalition of 14 attorneys general in sending a comment letter to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) commending EPA's efforts to add microplastics to a list of contaminants in drinking water prioritized for research, and urging EPA to further monitor microplastics.
"Microplastics are everywhere, from the deepest ocean to the highest
... Show Full Article
SACRAMENTO, California, June 5 -- California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued the following news release:
* * *
Attorney General Bonta Sends Comment Letter to EPA on Microplastics
*
OAKLAND -California Attorney General Rob Bonta today joined a multistate coalition of 14 attorneys general in sending a comment letter to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) commending EPA's efforts to add microplastics to a list of contaminants in drinking water prioritized for research, and urging EPA to further monitor microplastics.
"Microplastics are everywhere, from the deepest ocean to the highestmountain, and even in our bodies, causing damage -in ways known and unknown -to our environment and potentially our health," said Attorney General Bonta. "We commend EPA's efforts to add microplastics to the list of contaminants in drinking water that are prioritized for research. This is an important step for protecting our environment and public health, but we can and should go further. More data can only make our work to protect the public from microplastics more effective."
The list, called the Contaminant Candidate List (CCL), details contaminants that the EPA has identified as those with potential public health concerns that are known or expected in public water systems, and thus may require future regulation under the Safe Drinking Water Act. The CCL, which is published every five years, is a mechanism for identifying priority contaminants for further study. The inclusion of microplastics in this iteration of the CCL will help advance our understanding of the impacts of microplastics on public health.
In the letter, the attorneys general urge the EPA to go one step further and include microplastics on the upcoming Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR) 6. The UCMR requires monitoring of selected contaminants in public water systems for frequency and occurrence. As the letter argues, inclusion of microplastics in the UCMR will advance research on microplastics in drinking water and lay the groundwork for their future regulation.
The Danger of Microplastics
Microplastics pose special concerns due to their suspected overall prevalence and their ability to accumulate and persist in the environment. They are generally described as tiny, often invisible particles less than 5 millimeters in diameter -even as tiny as one nanometer -composed of polymers and various chemical additives that were either originally part of a plastic product or were adsorbed from the surrounding environment. They pose significant risks to human and environmental health due to their abundance in our planet's water, air, and land.
Research conducted to date indicates microplastics can harm human health, and exposure occurs most often through drinking water and other beverages, breathing air, and consuming food. Their size and shape may lead to cellular and tissue damage, and they have been found in all human organ systems, including the brain. In addition, microplastics can act as vectors for toxic chemicals to enter the human body, compounding exposure.
As the comment letter notes, babies and children are at greater risk of exposure to microplastics than adults. This exposure begins in utero, since microplastics can transfer through the placenta. Microplastics have been found in placental tissue, amniotic fluid, cord blood, and meconium, and are associated with impaired fetal growth and shortened gestational duration. Additional exposures occur after birth, such as through human breast milk, dairy products, drinking water, and food products. Overall, children are exposed to microplastics through diet, feeding equipment, toys, and inhalation of airborne particles.
Microplastics are linked to reduced birth weight, prematurity, deficits in brain development, respiratory issues, allergy, metabolic effects, reproductive system alterations, and systemic effects such as inflammation, oxidative stress, and multi-organ toxicity.
In filing the comment letter, Attorney General Bonta joins the attorneys general of New Jersey, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Vermont, Virginia, and Wisconsin.
Here is a copy of the letter (https://oag.ca.gov/system/files/attachments/press-docs/CCL%206%20Letter%20-%206.5.26%20final.pdf).
***
Original text here: https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-bonta-sends-comment-letter-epa-microplastics
Attorney General Bonta Secures $4.6 Million Settlement, Consumer Relief with Mortgage Servicer, Select Portfolio Servicing, for Violations of Foreclosure Protections During the COVID-19 Pandemic
SACRAMENTO, California, June 5 -- California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued the following news release:
* * *
Attorney General Bonta Secures $4.6 Million Settlement, Consumer Relief with Mortgage Servicer, Select Portfolio Servicing, for Violations of Foreclosure Protections During the COVID-19 Pandemic
*
OAKLAND -California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced a $4.6 million settlement with Select Portfolio Servicing (SPS), a large sub-prime mortgage servicer operating in California, resolving allegations that the company violated state and federal mortgage servicing and debt collection
... Show Full Article
SACRAMENTO, California, June 5 -- California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued the following news release:
* * *
Attorney General Bonta Secures $4.6 Million Settlement, Consumer Relief with Mortgage Servicer, Select Portfolio Servicing, for Violations of Foreclosure Protections During the COVID-19 Pandemic
*
OAKLAND -California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced a $4.6 million settlement with Select Portfolio Servicing (SPS), a large sub-prime mortgage servicer operating in California, resolving allegations that the company violated state and federal mortgage servicing and debt collectionlaws during the COVID-19 pandemic. Today's settlement includes enforcement of California's Homeowner Bill of Rights (HBOR), a set of laws that provide protections to homeowners who are facing foreclosure. Under the settlement, subject to court approval, SPS must pay $1.6 million in civil penalties and $3 million in consumer relief, and must implement changes to ensure, among other things, that homeowners receive adequate support and accurate information when seeking loan modifications and other foreclosure-prevention alternatives.
"Californians are facing a crisis of affordability, and many of our residents struggle every month to keep a roof over their heads. Our state recognized this when it passed strong debt collection and mortgage servicing laws designed to give homeowners a meaningful opportunity to avoid losing their homes amid rough financial patches -patches like the one brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic," said Attorney General Bonta. "My office's settlement with Select Portfolio Servicing resolves our investigation into the company, which found that the mortgage servicer violated these laws amid the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in struggling homeowners not having clarity or accurate information at a time of chaos and financial uncertainty. As part of the settlement, we are proud to secure $3 million that goes right back into the pockets of thousands of impacted homeowners."
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, families across California faced difficulty affording rent and mortgage payments, including as a result of layoffs and reduced working hours. In 2021, Attorney General Bonta issued a consumer alert reminding California's tenants and homeowners of their rights and protections amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
The California Department of Justice's investigation into SPS, based in part on information provided by Housing and Economic Rights Advocates and California Rural Legal Assistance, Inc., found, among other things, that the company:
* Failed to give homeowners adequate information about COVID-19 forbearance plans, including related to their forbearance exit options and their ability to apply for other loss mitigation options while in forbearance.
* Sent mortgage statements to borrowers on COVID-19 forbearance plans wrongly stating that late fees would be charged for missed payments.
* Failed to have tailored loss mitigation discussions with homeowners nearing the end of their COVID-19 forbearance plans.
* Failed to ensure that homeowners seeking foreclosure prevention alternatives received adequate support from the single points of contact SPS was required to provide under HBOR.
* Failed to ensure that homeowners could submit loan modification applications according to the timelines and under the circumstances that HBOR allows.
Homeowners eligible to receive restitution from this settlement have already been identified and will receive payment automatically.
What is the California's Homeowner Bill of Rights?
California's HBOR provides protections to homeowners facing foreclosure and tenants in foreclosed homes and puts certain responsibilities on mortgage servicers. Key provisions include:
* Notification of Foreclosure-Prevention Options: Your mortgage servicer must try to contact you at least 30 days before starting the foreclosure process to discuss your financial situation and explore your options to avoid foreclosure. Within five days of recording a notice of default, your servicer must generally give you information about options to avoid foreclosure that may be available.
* Acknowledgment of Application: If you apply for a loan modification, your servicer must notify you within five business days of any missing information, other errors, and deadlines for completing your application.
* Guaranteed Single Point of Contact: If you ask for a loan modification or other foreclosure-prevention alternative, your servicer must assign you a specific person or team who can walk you through application requirements and deadlines, knows the facts and status of your application, including missing documents needed to complete your application, and can get you a decision on your application.
* Restrictions on Dual Tracking: Your servicer must generally pause the foreclosure process while it is making a decision on your completed loan-modification application and until after it gives you time to appeal a denial. It also cannot foreclose on you while you are complying with the terms of an approved loan modification, forbearance, repayment plan, or other foreclosure-prevention option.
* Tenant Rights: Purchasers of foreclosed homes must give tenants at least 90 days before starting eviction proceedings. If the tenant has a fixed-term lease that was entered into before the foreclosure sale, the new owner must honor the lease unless certain exceptions apply.
For more information about the Homeowner Bill of Rights, please visit https://oag.ca.gov/hbor. The Housing Justice Team reminds Californians that they can report complaints related to housing to oag.ca.gov/report. Tenants who need legal help can find legal aid resources in their area at www.LawHelpCA.org.
***
Original text here: https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-bonta-secures-46-million-settlement-consumer-relief-mortgage
ATTORNEY GENERAL RAOUL SUPPORTS EPA RESEARCH ON THE HARMS OF MICROPLASTICS IN DRINKING WATER, CALLS FOR ADDITIONAL MONITORING OF PUBLIC WATER SYSTEMS
CHICAGO, Illinois, June 5 -- Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul issued the following news release:
* * *
ATTORNEY GENERAL RAOUL SUPPORTS EPA RESEARCH ON THE HARMS OF MICROPLASTICS IN DRINKING WATER, CALLS FOR ADDITIONAL MONITORING OF PUBLIC WATER SYSTEMS
*
Chicago -Attorney General Kwame Raoul, as part of a coalition of 14 attorneys general, affirmed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) efforts to add microplastics to a list of contaminants in drinking water prioritized for research and called for the EPA to further monitor microplastics.
Microplastics pose special concerns
... Show Full Article
CHICAGO, Illinois, June 5 -- Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul issued the following news release:
* * *
ATTORNEY GENERAL RAOUL SUPPORTS EPA RESEARCH ON THE HARMS OF MICROPLASTICS IN DRINKING WATER, CALLS FOR ADDITIONAL MONITORING OF PUBLIC WATER SYSTEMS
*
Chicago -Attorney General Kwame Raoul, as part of a coalition of 14 attorneys general, affirmed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) efforts to add microplastics to a list of contaminants in drinking water prioritized for research and called for the EPA to further monitor microplastics.
Microplastics pose special concernsdue to their suspected overall prevalence and their ability to accumulate and persist in the environment. They are generally described as often-invisible particles less than 5 millimeters in diameter, sometimes even as tiny as 1 nanometer, composed of polymers and various chemical additives that were either originally part of a plastic product or were adsorbed from the surrounding environment.
"Microplastics pose significant risks to human and environmental health and can be pervasive in our water, air and land," Raoul said. "I am pleased that the EPA has proposed making this issue a priority for research, and I join my fellow attorneys general in calling on the agency to do more to monitor microplastics in public water systems."
The EPA has proposed including microplastics in its Contaminant Candidate List (CCL), which is published every five years and identifies priority contaminants for further study. The list includes contaminants that the EPA has identified as posing potential public health concerns in public water systems and possibly requiring future regulation under the Safe Drinking Water Act. Including microplastics in the CCL will help advance understanding of the impacts of microplastics on public health.
In their comment letter, Raoul and the attorneys general urge the EPA to go a step further and include microplastics in the upcoming Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR) 6. The UCMR allows the EPA to monitor the presence of microplastics in public water systems by collecting data regarding their frequency and occurrence. In November 2025, governors from New Jersey, Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, Wisconsin, Michigan and Connecticut petitioned the EPA to request nationwide monitoring by adding microplastics to the UCMR. The EPA's proposed UCMR 6 is currently under White House review and is expected to be finalized by the end of 2026.
Research conducted to date indicates microplastics can harm human health, and exposure occurs most often through drinking water and other beverages, breathing air and consuming food. Their size and shape can lead to cellular and tissue damage, and they have been found in all human organ systems, including the brain. In addition, microplastics can act as vectors for toxic chemicals to enter the human body, compounding exposure. Microplastics are linked to reduced birth weight, prematurity, deficits in brain development, respiratory issues, allergies, metabolic effects, reproductive system alterations, and systemic effects such as inflammation, oxidative stress and multi-organ toxicity.
Today's comment letter notes that babies and children are at greater risk of exposure to microplastics than adults. This exposure begins in utero, since microplastics can transfer through the placenta. Microplastics have been found in placental tissue, amniotic fluid, cord blood and meconium, and are associated with impaired fetal growth and shortened gestational duration. Additional exposures occur after birth, such as through human breast milk, dairy products, drinking water and food products. Overall, children are exposed to microplastics through diet, feeding equipment, toys and inhalation of airborne particles.
Joining Attorney General Raoul in submitting the comments are the attorneys general of California, Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Vermont, Virginia and Wisconsin.
***
Original text here: https://www.illinoisattorneygeneral.gov/news/story/attorney-general-raoul-supports-epa-research-on-the-harms-of-microplastics-in-drinking-water-calls-for-additional-monitoring-of-public-water-systems
