OLYMPIA — Attorney General Rob McKenna today issued the following statement on the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to review the case of Washington v. Washington Education Association. The case concerns the right of the Washington Education Association to decide how to spend compulsory fees paid by public education employees who are not union members.

Olympia – News reporters would be legally protected from being compelled to disclose the identity of confidential sources under legislation approved today by the Washington State House of Representatives.

“A free society requires a free press with access to information, including information from confidential sources,” explained Attorney General Rob McKenna, who proposed House Bill 2452, which was approved 87-11. “This bill would give potential whistleblowers greater confidence that they can disclose information of corruption or scandal without fear of being revealed.”

OLYMPIA --- Attorney General Rob McKenna has again called upon Hollywood’s major motion picture studios to insert anti-smoking public service announcements in all DVDs, videos and other newer home viewing formats of movies in which smoking is depicted.

This time, McKenna sent each studio three "classic" truth® anti-smoking campaign messages that were created by the American Legacy Foundation and are available at no cost for the studios’ unlimited use.

OLYMPIA - Attorney General Rob McKenna today announced the state will appeal the recent U.S. District Court ruling that Initiative 297, the Cleanup Priority Act, is unconstitutional.  Attorneys in the case, representing the state Department of Ecology, filed their appeal today with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
 
“ We respectfully disagree with the federal district court's conclusion that Initiative 297 is unconstitutional and we are not content to let this decision rest with a single district court judge,” McKenna said.
 

OLYMPIA – Attorney General Rob McKenna today announced that Washington’s Medicaid program will receive $660,500 as part of a national settlement with drug manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline. The settlement resolves allegations that the company improperly inflated the “average wholesale price” paid by government health plans for two prescription medications used to assist cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.

SEATTLE – Attorney General Rob McKenna today warned consumers to watch out for callers who claim you have won a voucher for free gasoline then ask for a checking account number.

“Telemarketing cons are promising free gasoline, a particularly attractive incentive given current prices at the pump,” McKenna said. “But consumers should not be tempted by these offers, which are clearly a ploy to obtain bank account information that could be used to steal money or commit identity theft.”

TACOMA – Attorney General Rob McKenna announced today that his office has filed first-degree theft charges against a mortgage loan officer accused of stealing a check intended to pay for brokerage fees.

The Attorney General’s Criminal Division Financial Crimes Unit charged Robert L. Flath, 41, of Gig Harbor, with one-count of first-degree theft. Flath entered a plea of not guilty during his arraignment today in Pierce County Superior Court.

$84,000 settlement first in state’s Spyware Cleaner case

SEATTLE – Washington State Attorney General Rob McKenna announced today that an Oregon man is the first defendant penalized under Washington’s new computer spyware act. Zhijian Chen, of Portland, Ore., will pay nearly $84,000 in fines and consumer restitution for marketing bogus anti-spyware software through deceptive means.

OLYMPIA – Attorney General Rob McKenna announced new recommendations for reducing identity theft in Washington during a press conference today at the State Capitol.

McKenna unveiled a report from the state’s first Identity Theft Summit, then testified on behalf of legislation that would amend Washington’s credit report security freeze law to protect more consumers.

OLYMPIA - Attorney General Rob McKenna today announced the return of former Senior Counsel Jon Ferguson as the chief of the new complex litigation division in the Attorney General’s Office.

As chief, Ferguson will be responsible for managing the emerging complex litigation division that will likely expand over the next year.