Attorney General Bob Ferguson today issued the following statement regarding recent events at Hanford. He filed a lawsuit in September 2015 regarding worker safety issues at Hanford

“The fact that workers continue to be exposed to harmful vapors is shameful. The events of the past several days are a disturbing illustration of why I filed a lawsuit against the federal government to protect Washingtonians who work at Hanford.

Pharmaceutical company to pay $784.6 million to federal government, states

SEATTLE — Attorney General Bob Ferguson today announced the recovery of millions in overcharges to Washington by Wyeth, a pharmaceutical company owned by Pfizer, Inc. The agreement in principle resolves allegations the company knowingly underpaid rebates owed to Medicaid. After accounting for the federal government’s Medicaid program share, Washington will receive $22.9 million.

Opinion reverses 2013 Court of Appeals decision

OLYMPIA — At the urging of Attorney General Bob Ferguson, the Washington State Supreme Court today reinstated the attempted murder conviction of a Pacific County man who shot a Washington State Patrol trooper in the head in February 2010.

August trial to determine intent, penalties

OLYMPIA — A Thurston County Superior Court judge today postponed the trial to determine whether the Grocery Manufacturers Association’s violation of Washington campaign finance disclosure laws was intentional, and what penalties it should face, to August 15. The trial, which began this morning, was quickly rescheduled when the court addressed GMA’s untimely disclosure of evidence.

OLYMPIA — A trial to determine whether the Grocery Manufacturers Association’s violation of Washington campaign finance disclosure laws was intentional, and what penalties it should face, will begin Monday in Thurston County Superior Court.

After finding that GMA did violate the law and granting summary judgment to the state in March, Judge Anne Hirsch noted there remained a factual dispute whether GMA’s violation of the law was intentional.

OLYMPIA — Attorney General Bob Ferguson today released a report of the internal Attorney General’s Office review of the AGO’s role in the Department of Corrections sentencing errors disclosed late last year.

A copy of the report and the Attorney General’s cover letter are available on the AGO website.

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Trial Lawyers Association failed to properly report $81,872 in contributions

OLYMPIA — The Attorney General’s Office today announced that it has filed a complaint in Thurston County Superior Court alleging campaign finance violations by the Washington State Association for Justice (WSAJ). Specifically, the complaint alleges that WSAJ failed to timely and properly file lobbyist employer reports of its contributions, as required under the state’s campaign finance laws.

Nearly 350 Washington students to share in $162,000 recovery

SEATTLE — Attorney General Bob Ferguson today announced favorable resolutions for Washington consumers with six student loan debt adjustors that overcharged Washington state students and collected unlawful fees. Ferguson also obtained a default judgment against a seventh student loan debt adjustor for the same type of unfair and deceptive actions.

Law promotes plan for non-dangerous drivers to escape cycle of debt

OLYMPIA — Late yesterday, Governor Jay Inslee signed into law agency-request legislation from Attorney General Bob Ferguson for a plan to tackle challenges posed by the significant number of driver’s license suspensions in Washington.

OLYMPIA—Governor Jay Inslee today signed Attorney General Bob Ferguson’s agency-request bill to combat Medicaid provider fraud by reauthorizing the state’s highly effective Medicaid Fraud False Claims Act.

Unscrupulous medical providers seek to profit from the state’s Medicaid program — knowingly performing unneeded tests, knowingly charging for services not provided, and otherwise defrauding and abusing the Medicaid system.