OLYMPIA--Attorney General Rob McKenna joined 50 Attorneys General in sending a letter Wednesday urging Congress to restore federal funding for crime and drug enforcement efforts. 

“State, county and city law-enforcement agencies have already taken multiple hits due to the economic downturn,” McKenna said. “The proposed cuts further erode funding that helps keep our communities safe from drug addiction and gang violence.”

Attorney General’s Office alleges Spokane-based family business deceived homeowners

SPOKANE – A father-and-sons contracting business that built up a heap of customer complaints about shoddy service and unfair billing practices agreed to partial refunds for homeowners under two settlements announced today by the Washington Attorney General’s Office.

New York-based charity to reimburse Attorney General for legal costs

SEATTLE – A New York-based charity named the Reserve Police Officers Association agreed to stop soliciting donations in Washington under an agreement with the Attorney General’s Office.

OLYMPIA – Attorney General Rob McKenna today announced the appointment of Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey D. Goltz as chairman of the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC). The UTC protects consumers by ensuring that utility and transportation services are fairly priced, available, reliable and safe.

OLYMPIA—The Legislature has scheduled public hearings on two bills requested by Attorney General Rob McKenna this week.

• Tobacco Internet Sales

The House Health Care and Wellness Committee will hear HB 1249 at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 3, in the John L. O’Brien Building, House Hearing Room A.

Attorneys general and bank regulators say reports are misleading

OLYMPIA – Attorney General Rob McKenna joined a group of other attorneys general and state banking regulators in sending a letter urging federal officials to encourage national banks and federal thrift-servicing operations to modify mortgage loans that are becoming unaffordable for consumers.

JANUARY 29, 2008        NO. 009-011

OLYMPIA -- A federal appeals court has upheld the constitutionality of the DSHS Special Commitment Center treatment program for sexually violent predators.

The Ninth Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals upheld the March 2007 action of U.S. District Court Judge Ricardo Martinez to dissolve a federal injunction against the SCC. At one point, DSHS faced a contempt fine of $11 million before completing improvements that satisfied the court. 

OLYMPIA—Assistant Attorneys General Brooke Burbank and Kristie Barham with the AG’s Sexually Violent Predator Unit won a civil commitment case that prevents the unconditional release of a dangerous sexually violent predator into the community.

SEATTLE – The Public Counsel Section of the Washington State Attorney General’s Office today filed an appeal challenging the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission’s approval of Avista’s last electric and gas rate general rate increases that took effect on Jan. 1.

OLYMPIA—Four bills requested by Attorney General Rob McKenna are scheduled for public hearings this week.