Dear Friends,

May was a very busy month at the Attorney General’s Office, especially for my antitrust and consumer protection teams.

My Antitrust team recovered $63 million dollars for consumers in our case against Samsung, Toshiba, Sharp and other players in the global LCD “price-fixing” conspiracy.  Our consumer protection team joined a national crackdown on scam charities that were stealing millions of dollars in donations meant for cancer patients. 
 
Also, with the recent passage of my community safety legislation, we now have a stronger Sexually Violent Predator law.

Consumer protection is a paramount duty of the Attorney General’s Office.  When powerful interests don’t play by the rules, it is our responsibility to hold them accountable.  We recently recovered $63 million from companies held accountable for their involvement in price-fixing and other illegal activities that affected consumers worldwide, including millions in Washington.

This is one of the largest recoveries in state history and resolves our cases against Samsung, Toshiba, Sharp and five other of the world’s largest LCD manufacturers.  All were accused of conspiring to drive up prices on LCD products like TVs, laptops and cell phones. 
 
For years, consumers in Washington and throughout the world were cheated every time they bought a product with a liquid crystal display screen. The deception began during secret meetings between LCD competitors that can be traced back to a 1998 golf outing in Taiwan.  They decided then that it would be more profitable to work together than compete against each other. They formed a cartel and held secret “crystal meetings” where they exchanged information and made plans to control prices by manipulating supply and demand. Their collusion went unchecked for eight years, and affected millions of Washingtonians. 
 
Thanks to the outstanding work of the Attorney General’s Antitrust team in pursuing Washington’s case, we estimate recovering two-to-three times more than if we had joined a multistate action. 
 
This AGO news release has more information. 
 
Q13 Fox
State announces $63 million settlement for consumers of certain electronic devices
 
KIRO
You’re likely owed money in $63M anti-trust settlement with LCD manufacturers
 

I want to recognize Wes and Sharon Clizer of Clarkston, for their dedication to improve our state’s Sexually Violent Predator laws.   I had the privilege of meeting them while working for the passage of my community safety legislation.  As parents of a victim, the Clizers have been fighting for years to strengthen laws governing the release of violent sex offenders. I’m thankful for all they have done for our state.  
 
Our success at the Legislature means safer communities for everyone.  The new law, HB 1059, closes a dangerous loophole in the state’s Sexually Violent Predator statute that allowed the release of some offenders that have not been rehabilitated.  This update gives our experts the tools they need to evaluate and treat sex offenders, and gives offenders more incentive to participate in appropriate and effective treatment.
 
More details are available in our news release here

Protecting the health and safety of children is the most critical component of recreational marijuana regulation in our state. I recently submitted my recommendations to the state Liquor Control Board, calling for the regulation of all forms of marijuana that can appeal to kids, such as sweetened and flavored products.  This letter urges the Board to regulate not just marijuana-infused products that can appeal to kids, but also flavored usable marijuana and concentrates with the same potential.  As my office continues to provide state leadership on this issue, protecting children will remain a key focus of our efforts. 
 

AG awards Korean Women’s Association $50,000 for consumer education