Dear Friends,
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| Attorney General-Elect Nick Brown joined me at our academy for new Assistant Attorneys General. |
I hope you had a happy Thanksgiving! One thing I’m thankful for is knowing that the Attorney General’s Office will be in good hands next year under the leadership of Nick Brown. I’ve worked closely with Nick for a number of years, and I know he is up to the challenge. He’s already hitting the ground running, naming key members of his executive leadership team and attending our office’s academy for new lawyers. He also joined me for a joint press conference to answer questions about what Washington is doing to prepare for potential unlawful federal overreach under a second Trump administration.
In November, my office won a $1.4 million judgment against the former directors of Vancouver-area charities that misused donations for personal gain. We also released our ninth annual data breach report, which shows data breaches reached a new all-time high.
We also marked National Veterans and Military Families Month by highlighting our work with a bipartisan group of state attorneys general to support veterans and servicemembers. We are also recruiting youth volunteers from across Washington to inform the lifesaving work of HearMeWA, a first-of-its-kind statewide helpline.
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| Attorney General-Elect Nick Brown and I held a joint press conference to talk about how Washington has been preparing to defend Washingtonians’ rights. |
Preparing to defend Washingtonians’ rights. There are many
people in Washington state feeling a range of emotions about our federal election results. Our office has been preparing for months to protect the rights of Washingtonians and uphold the rule of law. We talked about those preparations with AG-Elect Nick Brown. You can watch here: https://tvw.org/video/attorney-general-attorney-general-elect-press-conference-2024111129/?eventID=2024111129%E2%80%9D
Bringing accountability for stolen charity funds. A Clark County Superior Court judge approved a judgment of more than $1.4 million against former directors of three Vancouver-area charities as a result of my lawsuit. Founder Ophelia Noble and the former directors of The Noble Foundation misused more than $1 million in charitable funds that were meant to serve communities of color and low-income individuals in southwest Washington. Noble must sell the house and car she unlawfully purchased with the charitable funds and repay the proceeds — a combined value of approximately $400,000. More about that judgment here: https://www.atg.wa.gov/news/news-releases/ag-ferguson-wins-14m-judgment-against-vancouver-area-charity-directors-who
Data breaches on the rise. My office issued its ninth annual data breach report, which shows they reached a new all-time high in the state. This year, more than 11.6 million data breach notices went out to Washingtonians — five million more than the previous high in 2021. The number is up significantly compared to last year’s total of 4.8 million. It is the first time that the number of individual notices sent exceeds the state’s population. The significant increase in the number of Washingtonians affected is in part due to two mega breaches at Comcast and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center. Learn more here: https://www.atg.wa.gov/news/news-releases/ag-report-data-breaches-reach-new-all-time-high-washington
Supporting veterans with a bipartisan group of attorneys general. November was National Veterans and Military Families Month, and I highlighted the work of the National Association of Attorneys General’s Veterans Affairs Committee. I co-chair this committee with South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson. Our work includes protecting veterans from fraud, supporting spouses and children, and providing veterans with access to free legal clinics. You can read more about that work here: https://www.atg.wa.gov/news/news-releases/attorneys-general-stand-support-national-veterans-and-military-families-month
For more information about services available to veterans and military families in Washington, visit the Attorney General’s Military and Veteran Resources page.
Qualifying veterans and service members and their families can apply for civil legal assistance with the Office of Military and Veteran Legal Assistance.
Seeking youth to advise HearMeWA. Earlier this year, my office launched the first-of-its-kind statewide helpline for youth — HearMeWA. It is a free statewide program for youth up to age 25 who are dealing with a range of challenges, from stress and anxiety to threats and abuse. HearMeWA receives and responds to tips about risks or potential risks to youth safety and well-being. The program needs Washingtonians ages 12 to 25 to join an advisory group that assists with branding, marketing and advertising to ensure it remains centered on youth. Individuals who join may be eligible for compensation for their time. The deadline to apply is Jan. 1, 2025.
Apply for the youth advisory group here: https://www.research.net/r/youthadvisorygroupapplication.
Please share this flyer with any youth who would be interested or with groups that support our state’s young people.
While there are sure to be many changes in the new year, there is one thing you can count on: The dedicated public servants at the Attorney General’s Office will continue to seek justice and protect the health and safety of all the people in Washington state.
Sincerely,
Bob Ferguson
Washington State Attorney General
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