SEATTLE – As stories about identity theft and privacy issues continue to dominate headlines, Attorney General Rob McKenna is working to educate Washington residents, businesses and law enforcement about new legislation that aims to prevent identity theft and protect consumers.

Several new state laws take effect next week that address security breaches, access to credit reports, and Internet scams such as “phishing.”

OLYMPIA - July 11, 2000 - Washington state has received a $2.25 million grant to help battle tobacco use among young people, Attorney General Christine Gregoire and state Department of Health Secretary Mary Selecky announced today.

The grant, to be distributed in three $750,000 installments over three years, comes from the American Legacy Foundation, which was created under the terms of the 1998 settlement reached between 46 attorneys general and the tobacco industry.

OLYMPIA - For a second time, Attorney General Christine Gregoire has sued a Blaine tobacco company for failing to create escrow accounts to cover future litigation arising from use of its tobacco products.

Olympia - 6.18.03 - Attorney General Christine Gregoire said today Washington state will receive $1.7 million from tobacco companies in a new settlement between states and the industry.

Under the settlement the nation's tobacco manufacturers will pay the states $160 million. The bulk of the money will come from Brown & Williamson, the nation's third largest tobacco manufacturer.

Pyramid schemes, which are an old consumer fraud device, are reappearing throughout Washington state. Based on consumer complaints, pyramid scheme operators are preying on the elderly, immigrants, church members, employees of major corporations, and even police and fire department personnel.

OLYMPIA - June 18, 2001 - Ten anti-tobacco programs each received a $500 grant to expand their tobacco prevention efforts, Attorney General Christine Gregoire announced. Each grant is part of a $5,000 award Gregoire received in 2001 from the American Legacy Foundation for her leadership in the 1998 settlement against the nation's largest tobacco companies.

SEATTLE – Attorney General Rob McKenna today announced the hiring of two attorneys to fight high-tech fraud, identity theft and other scams targeting consumers.

Katherine Tassi and Shannon Smith will join the Consumer Protection Division in Seattle starting Aug. 16. Both have worked for the Attorney General’s Office in other capacities.

SEATTLE - June 11, 1998 - King County Superior Court Judge George Finkle has granted the state's request to use key portions of a document the state claims will provide strong evidence of wrongdoing by the nation's largest tobacco company, RJR Tobacco. The state expects to use the document as evidence in its upcoming trial against the tobacco industry.

OLYMPIA –The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington today granted summary judgment in the state’s favor on one claim in a lawsuit filed by the state in March 2003 to stop the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) from shipping transuranic mixed waste to Hanford from other DOE sites around the country.

Olympia - May 24, 1999 - State Attorney General Christine Gregoire announced today that Washington state will receive an additional $100 million from the multi-state settlement between state attorneys general and the tobacco industry. The second and final allocation lifts Washington’s total award from the settlement’s Strategic Contribution Fund to $494.9 million, which is the highest amount in the nation.