Freedom Stores accused of contacting unit commanders, filing out-of-state lawsuits

SEATTLE — Attorney General Bob Ferguson today announced a $63,000 resolution of an investigation into alleged unfair debt collection practices and deceptive advertising by retailer Freedom Stores, Inc. The alleged violations included filing lawsuits against Washington military service members in Virginia without their knowledge and contacting commanding officers with details of a service member’s debt.

Resources for public records requesters and help for agencies in understanding the law

OLYMPIA — Today Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced that his office has updated its online Open Government Resource Manual summarizing Washington’s sunshine laws.

The 2015 publication modernizes the prior manual to reflect the past several years’ developments in the state’s Public Records Act and Open Public Meetings Act, and court decisions interpreting those laws. The manual was last revised in 2007.

SEATTLE — Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson today released the following statement:

“While we typically do not confirm or deny the existence of an ongoing investigation, it has already been reported that Washington is part of a multistate investigation involving 30 other state Attorneys General who are investigating Volkswagen’s alleged use of ‘defeat devices’ in their TDI Clean Diesel engines.

“I intend to thoroughly investigate this matter and protect the economic and environmental interests of Washington state consumers.

SPOKANE — Attorney General Bob Ferguson today announced a lawsuit against Monte L. Masingale, a Spokane-area car salesman, for a pattern of sexual harassment against female employees and prospective employees.

Masingale works at Greenacres Motors dealerships in Airway Heights, Greenacres, and Post Falls, Idaho. The auto dealer, Greenacres Motors, is also named in the suit, because its owner and staff knew, or should have known, about Masingale’s conduct.

OLYMPIA — The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) today announced that it has filed a complaint in Thurston County Superior Court alleging campaign finance violations by the Freedom Foundation. Specifically, the AGO alleges that the Freedom Foundation failed to properly and timely file independent expenditure reports disclosing the value of the legal services it provided to support ballot propositions in the cities of Sequim, Chelan and Shelton, as required under the state’s campaign finance laws.

OLYMPIA — The Attorney General’s Office today announced that it has filed a complaint in Thurston County Superior Court alleging campaign finance violations by Service Employees International Union Local 925 (SEIU 925) and SEIU Local 925 Public Service PAC (SEIU 925 PAC).  Specifically, the AG alleges that SEIU 925 and SEIU 925 PAC failed to timely and properly file reports of in-kind and monetary contributions as required under the state’s campaign finance laws.

UPDATE, 10/13/2015: Experian will waive fees for placing a credit freeze, otherwise known as a security freeze. It will also waive fees for both lifting and refreezing credit. Please note that this waiver will only apply to Experian. Therefore, applicable costs will still occur for credit freezes with both Equifax and Trans Union. More information can be found on Experian’s website here: www.experian.com/data-breach/t-mobilefacts.html?intcmp=tmdb#fraudalert.

SEATTLE — Washington consumers should file complaints with the Washington State Attorney General’s Office if they believe they were harmed by the online marketing company, Internet Order LLC, which operates the website www.pimsleurapproach.com.

SEATTLE — Attorney General Bob Ferguson today announced that he has joined a “friend-of-the-court” brief asking the U.S. Supreme Court to strike down two provisions of a 2013 Texas law severely limiting access to safe abortion services.

While Texas lawmakers claimed they intended the law to protect women’s health, the medical evidence presented when the law was enacted shows that the provisions of the law actually place women’s health at greater risk by reducing access to safe abortion services.

Court awards $45k in penalties and restitution