Olympia - April 17, 2000 - Washington state today will receive $73.19 million in restitution from the tobacco industry. The payment is the first of the perpetual annual payments mandated by the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement between state attorneys general and the major tobacco manufacturers.

Washington’s annual restitution payments are due each April. In addition, Washington has already received two of five initial payments, due each January through 2003, for approximately $95 million.

RENTON – More than 140 South King County residents today joined a growing force of Washington seniors determined to fight back against consumer fraud. The Attorney General’s Office and AARP trained the group to become volunteer Fraud Fighters, armed with knowledge and tools to spot and stop scams targeted at older adults.

OLYMPIA -- Washington Attorney General Christine Gregoire said today she and 36 other Attorneys General have asked an Illinois judge to consider the public health consequences around the nation when he sets the appeal bond in a local class action case.

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Seattle - Puget Sound Energy will be limited to a 4.6 percent overall electric rate hike, will embark on a broad, new energy conservation program and will provide new assistance to low-income customers under a settlement reached today between the company, state regulators, the state Attorney General's Office of Public Counsel and others.

OLYMPIA - Jan. 30, 2002 - The Attorney General's Public Counsel section today recommended the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (WUTC) reject Puget Sound Energy's (PSE) request for an interim rate increase.

OLYMPIA -04/05/02 - Attorney General Christine Gregoire said today Brown and Williamson Tobacco Company, the nation's third largest cigarette manufacturer, has agreed to pay 52 states and territories approximately $204 million that it withheld from payments due in January.

Washington's share will be about $4 million, which would push the April tobacco company payment to about $111 million.

Brown and Williamson disputed the validity of industry-wide figures, which form the basis for calculating payments to states under the Master Settlement Agreement.

SEATTLE - The Attorney General's Office today warned residents of the Seattle area and Southwest Washington to be wary of lottery scam artists who are using unfair and high-pressure sales tactics on vulnerable elderly citizens.

Olympia - Washington State today filed suit against two on-line companies for selling cigarettes to minors, according to Attorney General Christine Gregoire.

The suits allege that Cyco.net, Inc., based in New Mexico and S4L Distributing, Inc., based in Virginia, have continued selling cigarettes online to minors after being warned last fall by several states, including Washington, that minors were able to purchase products from their websites.

OLYMPIA- March 31, 1997 - State Attorney General Christine Gregoire said today she will go to court this week to get sensitive tobacco company documents deposited in King County Superior Court. Review of these documents by the court is the first step in their release to the state's legal team.

OLYMPIA - 3/28/02 - Attorney General Christine Gregoire said today a new report shows that the state should continue to provide adequate funding for anti-smoking efforts as a means to reduce the state's Medicaid costs.