News Releases

National report shows Washingtonians have received $521 million in benefits, with more to come SEATTLE – An independent report released today shows that more than 7,000 Washington state residents have received new loan terms because of last March’s national mortgage settlement.

Attorney General-Elect Bob Ferguson has announced the appointment of the top two leadership positions for his new administration. Mamie Marcuss will serve as Chief of Staff, overseeing operations, communications, policy, and government affairs.  Chief Deputy Brian Moran will continue to manage legal operations.  

Businesses, government, non-profits and others received misleading bills SEATTLE – Washington State University was blanketed this fall by invoices from a company called US-Telcom. A Sammamish Montessori School, a Seattle Jewish day school and a Spokane women’s health clinic all received similar legitimate-looking invoices from the company for as much as $425. But none of those receiving the bills had ever ordered services from US-Telecom.  

 Canceling subscription services sold by Oberon Media called “difficult by design”  SEATTLE — An agreement negotiated by the Washington State Attorney General’s Office means “game over” for a video game company’s practice of signing up customers under false pretenses for hard-to-cancel recurring charges. The Washington State Attorney General’s Office, which reached the agreement yesterday with Delaware-based Oberon Media, Inc., calls the company’s tactics “unfair and deceptive” under the state’s Consumer Protection Act.  

SEATTLE – An Everett auto dealership sued by the Washington State Attorney General’s Office for deceptive  advertising, along with other illegal business practices, says it will change its ways. In a deal reached today, the owner of Performance Kia and the former Performance Nissan will pay $150,000 in attorneys’ fees and penalties to resolve the lawsuit.  Performance Jeep-Eagle, the business that operated Performance Kia and the former Performance Nissan, is also on the hook for another $55,000 if the business practices – violations of the Consumer Protection Act and other state laws – continue.

SEATTLE - Washington State Attorney General Rob McKenna today announced that he and 37 other Attorneys General reached a $90 million settlement with GlaxoSmithKline LLC (GSK) to resolve allegations that the company illegally promoted its diabetes drug, Avandia.

OLYMPIA – Washington State Attorney General Rob McKenna Friday joined with 45 other state attorneys general calling on Congress to adopt the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA) by the end of the year. Among its important features, the legislation funds task forces to protect victims and prosecute traffickers. It also funds the National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline, which provides help to trafficking victims 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals accused of illegal marketing, paying kick-backs to medical professionals OLYMPIA - Washington State Attorney General Rob McKenna today announced that Washington joined with other states and the federal government to settle allegations that Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (BIPI) paid kickbacks and engaged in off-label marketing campaigns that improperly promoted Atrovent, Combivent, Micardis and Aggrenox.  BIPI, a Connecticut company, will pay the states and the federal government $95 million, of which $34.5 million will go to Medicaid programs. The settlement resolves allegations that the company's conduct caused false claims to be submitted to government health care programs.

SEATTLE - Avista, UTC Staff, and other parties filed a non-unanimous multiparty settlement late Friday with the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) in Avista's general rate case.  The Public Counsel Section of the Washington State Attorney General's Office did not sign the settlement.

Whitney’s Auto Group and its affiliated dealerships investigated for “unfair and deceptive” tactics SEATTLE – A Washington State Attorney General’s Office investigation into Whitney’s Auto Group concluded Wednesday with an agreement halting consumer-unfriendly sales and marketing tactics.