Restitution for unauthorized texting charges leads to $158 million “cramming” payouts nationally

OLYMPIA — Attorney General Bob Ferguson today announced that more than 750,000 Washington Sprint and Verizon customers will be eligible for refunds for unauthorized charges on their cell phone bills as a result of legal action by his office. The restitution for Washington consumers is part of a nationwide $158 million agreement that resolves allegations that the companies placed unauthorized third-party service charges on subscribers’ telephone bills.

SEATTLE — A Seattle business owner pleaded guilty today to harassment charges brought by the Attorney General’s Office after the man threatened a court employee.

Serjik Kocharian, 53, threatened a city magistrate judge at an infraction hearing where he disputed a ticket he received for operating his business without a license.

SEATTLE — Attorney General Bob Ferguson today announced that his office successfully defended Washington’s voter-approved Initiative-594, which expanded the state’s firearm background check requirements, against a challenge in federal court.

U.S. District Court Judge Benjamin Settle dismissed the case of Northwest School of Safety v. Ferguson, in which the plaintiffs argued that the recently enacted law is unconstitutional.  The court found that the Plaintiffs had suffered no injury from I-594, and thus lacked legal standing to challenge the law.

TACOMA — As golf enthusiasts anticipate June’s U.S. Open at Chambers Bay, in University Place, Wash., many are looking to score a hole-in-one with sought-after tickets.

As an alternative to buying tickets directly from the sporting event organizer, some fans turn to ticket resellers.

OLYMPIA — The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) filed a response in the recall case against Auditor Troy Kelley today in Pierce County Superior Court.

The AGO is representing Kelley on one of the three allegations against him in the recall: that he did not properly investigate Sound Transit and failed to report to work. 

The AGO does not represent Auditor Kelley on two other matters raised in the recall petition that do not arise from Kelley’s official acts: that he allegedly pressured his office to hire a business associate, and that he must live in Olympia.

OLYMPIA — Attorney General Bob Ferguson today sent a letter to the Liquor Control Board sharing his recommendations about the board’s proposed permanent rules on recreational marijuana.  Ferguson highlighted his concern that rules be crafted to address all marijuana products that have the potential to appeal to children.

State right to jury trial at issue

OLYMPIA — The office of Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson prevailed in Maziar v. Department of Corrections, a ruling issued today by the Washington Supreme Court. The unanimous decision found, for the first time, that the state has the right to demand a jury trial.

Corrections employee Scott Maziar was injured on a ferry ride to the McNeil Island Corrections Center. He sued the Department of Corrections and other defendants for damages arising out of the incident.

Background checks similar to Washington’s I-594 at issue

UPDATE: Coverage from The Seattle Times on the new law's implementation.

OLYMPIA — Today, Governor Jay Inslee signed Attorney General Bob Ferguson’s proposal to ban “ticket bot” software into law. 

WA Officials Team Up to Warn Consumers on Donating Wisely

OLYMPIA — As the death toll climbs in Nepal following the massive earthquake over the weekend, Better Business Bureau along with Secretary of State Kim Wyman and Attorney General Bob Ferguson are urging Washingtonians to be on guard for charity scams targeting donors.