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Washington State

Office of the Attorney General

Attorney General

Nick Brown

Gregoire Surgery Successful

OLYMPIA -- Washington Attorney General Christine Gregoire has undergone successful surgery at St. Peter Hospital in Olympia.

A recent screening mammogram revealed an area of abnormality and subsequent diagnostic studies showed ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS).

The surgery, which was performed Thursday, shows no evidence of invasive breast cancer.

The surgery was performed by Dr. Chris Griffith and Dr. William Reus, and consisted of a mastectomy with immediate reconstruction.

Former Marshal Charged with Trespass

COLFAX - Bruce L. Grass, a former assistant marshal for the City of Palouse, was charged today in Whitman County District Court with one count of first-degree criminal trespass stemming from an incident in the Town of Garfield on the evening of Aug. 24, 2002.

Grass, 49, is accused of entering a Garfield residence through a window without the resident's permission and without first obtaining a search warrant. At the time of the incident, he was assisting a Garfield marshal investigating a report of an underage person in possession of alcohol.

Public Counsel and Low-Income Advocates Seek to Trim PSE Rate Hike

SEATTLE -- The Attorney General's Public Counsel section today challenged rate increases proposed by Puget Sound Energy (PSE) that would add about $5 to a typical residential customer's monthly electrical bill, and about $4.35 to a gas bill.

Papers opposing the proposed rate increases were filed today with the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (WUTC). PSE's request would generate an additional $81.6 million from electric customers and $47 million more from gas customers.

Renton Dentist Sentenced in Medicaid False Billing Case

SEATTLE -- A Renton dentist today was sentenced to serve six months on home detention and ordered to pay $175,000 in restitution to the state after pleading guilty in December to theft and fraud charges filed after he billed the state Medicaid program for services he did not provide.

The sentence was handed down to Dr. Hoi Lee by King County Superior Court Judge Michael Hayden.

AG Seeks Supreme Court Review of Wildlife Management Initiative

OLYMPIA -- The Washington State Attorney General's Office today asked the state Supreme Court to review a recent lower court decision that ruled Initiative 655 (I-655) unconstitutional.

The initiative, approved by voters in 1996, makes it unlawful to hunt certain game animals with the aid of bait or dogs. In June, a Jefferson County District Court judge ruled that I-655 violates the Washington State Constitution by dealing with more than one subject. As a result of that ruling, charges against several defendants accused of unlawfully hunting black bear with bait were dismissed.

St. John Pharmacist Charged in Medicaid Fraud Case

COLFAX -- The former operator of the St. John Pharmacy, James Craig Hudkins, was charged today with nine counts of first-degree theft for allegedly billing the state Medicaid program in 2002 and 2003 for prescription medications he did not provide to patients.

The Attorney General's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) filed the charges in Whitman County Superior Court. Each count, which is a Class B felony carrying a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and/or a $20,000 fine, represents a month of fraudulent billings covering November 2002 and January-August 2003.

AG McKenna Drives Home SUV Safety Message

SEATTLE -- Introducing Esuvee-- a new national mascot to promote Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) safety, particularly among young adult drivers. Washington joins 49 other states and three jurisdictions in announcing Esuvee's drive to educate consumers on SUV safety messages.

"The goal of this educational campaign is to help curtail the number of SUV rollover accidents and save lives," Attorney General Rob McKenna says. "We are particularly targeting male drivers between the ages of 21-39, who are most vulnerable to rollovers."

McKenna intervenes to defend people’s primary initiative

OLYMPIA – Attorney General Rob McKenna filed a motion in U.S. District court today to intervene in the legal challenge against Initiative 872 on behalf of the Attorney General and the Secretary of State.

Approved by roughly 60 percent of Washington’s voters, I-872 created a “top two” primary where the top two candidates in the primary election advance to the general election regardless of party affiliation and voters are allowed to vote across party lines on their primary ballots.

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