News Releases

SEATTLE – Attorney General Rob McKenna today announced a settlement with Coranda Living Trust Services and its owner, Stephen Cuccia, Jr., in which the former Sumner resident agreed to provide refunds to Washington residents who purchased estate planning products. The agreement resolves allegations that Cuccia made misleading statements in order to sell living trusts and insurance annuities to at least 70 seniors.

SEATTLE—Washington State Attorney General Rob McKenna won his first case before the United States Supreme Court today, persuading the Court to unanimously uphold a state initiative requiring unions to obtain prior permission from non-members before using their representation fees for political purposes.

OLYMPIA… Attorney General Rob McKenna today hailed the decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to allow individuals and corporations who voluntarily clean up hazardous waste sites to recover costs from other liable parties as a victory for the state and the environment.

SEATTLE – Attorney General Rob McKenna today announced a multistate settlement with ChoicePoint that resolves allegations the company failed to adequately maintain the privacy and security of consumers’ personally identifiable information. The settlement with attorneys general of 43 states and the District of Columbia stems from a 2005 data breach that compromised personal financial records of more than 163,000 consumers, including an estimated 3,000 Washington residents.

OLYMPIA…Attorney General Rob McKenna is proud to announce that Senior Assistant Attorney General Michael Shinn has been selected for the 2007 Governor’s Award for Leadership in Management. The award gives special recognition to managers who have demonstrated excellence in carrying out their responsibilities.

King County Prosecutor Norm Maleng passed away at 9:11 p.m. last night at the Harborview Medical Center from cardiac arrest.  Here is a statement from Attorney General Rob McKenna on his passing.

Attorney General Rob McKenna today announced that he has promoted Deputy Solicitor General Tim Ford to assistant attorney general for government accountability effective June 18. Ford will serve as the Attorney General’s open government ombudsman and will promote government accountability by encouraging access to public records and proceedings.

A group of telemarketers have agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that their “debt elimination program” violated federal and state laws by falsely promising consumers substantially reduced interest rates and thousands of dollars in savings. Under the proposed settlement, two business owners are permanently barred from engaging in any debt negotiation or debt elimination business. According to a complaint filed by the FTC and the Washington State Attorney General, the defendants made unsolicited phone calls to consumers nationwide and marketed the program on Internet Web sites, including www.debt2wealth.com and www.acceleratedfinancialinc.com.

OLYMPIA…Attorney General Rob McKenna announced today he joined a coalition of state Attorneys General in a coordinated effort to examine legal issues related to school violence and safety. Responding to recent violence on college campuses and public schools, Attorney General Rob McKenna is working with his colleagues on the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) Task Force on School Safety to identify legal and policy changes to help ensure safe schools.

OLYMPIA – A listserv account used by the Washington Attorney General’s Office to send news items was hijacked as part of a “phishing” scam. State agencies have resolved the problem to ensure further unauthorized e-mails are not sent.