Bills to save money, foster open government and protect consumers receive bipartisan support

OLYMPIA – Legislators from both parties joined Washington State Attorney General Rob McKenna today to announce proposals to save money, protect the vulnerable and make government more accountable.

“People depend on us to solve problems,” McKenna said. “We’re proud to work with legislators from both sides of the aisle who are as determined as we are to make our streets safer, and to make state government leaner and more accountable.”

SEATTLE – The Public Counsel Section of the Washington State Attorney General’s Office has reached an agreement with Qwest, CenturyLink, and the staff of the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) on a set of conditions to address concerns with the companies’ proposed merger.

 The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Justice issued the following release today.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2010
WWW.JUSTICE.GOV                                             

McKenna: Forcing every U.S. citizen to buy a commercial product in the private market with their own money is an unprecedented and unconstitutional move by the federal government

OLYMPIA— Judge Roger Vinson of the US District Court for the Northern District of Florida in Pensacola today heard oral arguments in the multistate lawsuit challenging provisions of the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Dannon to pay another $21 million to settle allegations of illegal marketing

Consumers burned by big fees and terms buried in itsy-bitsy fine print

SEATTLE: DIRECTV – which generated more complaints to the Washington Attorney General’s Office in recent years than any other business – will pay more than $1 million to resolve a landmark lawsuit brought by the state on behalf of consumers.

OLYMPIA — Washington State Attorney General Rob McKenna issued the following statement today regarding the decision of a federal judge in Virginia that a portion of the federal health care law is unconstitutional:

OLYMPIA – Attorney General Rob McKenna issued the following statement responding to today’s federal court of appeals decision that the lawsuit concerning Yucca Mountain’s designation as a national nuclear waste disposal can move forward:

“We’re gratified that the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, in response to our petition, is again taking control of this case and putting it back on track. This is another step forward to prevent the federal government from permanently ending the process to develop the nation’s only Congressionally approved, high-level nuclear waste repository.”

Attorney General’s Office to make the case for protections for vulnerable communities

OLYMPIA – Lawmakers are in town getting a jump on the 2011 legislative session, and the Attorney General’s Office has been granted an important opportunity to pitch a bill to reduce gang violence.

Washington state part of national settlement with Kos pharmaceuticals

OLYMPIA – Washington State Attorney General Rob McKenna announced today that Washington has joined with other states in reaching an agreement with Kos Pharmaceuticals, Inc., to settle allegations that the company engaged in kickback violations and off-label marketing of its cholesterol-treatment drugs, Advicor and Niaspan.