Here is what happened last week for DAGA and our Democratic Attorneys General:

MUST WATCH: To highlight the work of Democratic Attorneys General across the country, the Democratic Attorneys General Association released a video, “We Need to Work Together” (linked here) that depicts AG actions including efforts to protect DACA recipients, health care coverage, reproductive rights, students, consumers, workers’ rights, and the environment.

SAVE THE CENSUS: The 2020 census was in the spotlight on Capitol Hill last week. Robert Shapiro, chairman of the economic and security advisory firm Sonecon and the former Under Secretary of Commerce for Economic Affairs from 1997 to 2001, wrote this poignant op-ed for the American Prospect on why the 2020 Census matters to the 2018 elections and what state attorneys generals are doing (or not doing) to save the census. Shapiro notes, “candidates running against the do-nothing AGs should make clear the dire consequences for their states should the Ross-Sessions proposal take effect.”

NET NEUTRALITY: The FCC announced last week that the rollback of net neutrality will officially take effect on June 11th. In February, a coalition of 23 Attorneys General filed suit to block the illegal rollback of net neutrality and to protect the fair and open internet. After the FCC announcement, Acting New York AG Barbara Underwood said in a statement that “a free and open internet is critical to New York, and to our democracy…This office has proudly led the suit to block this illegal rollback of net neutrality – and we certainly won’t stop now.”

WHO IS BARBARA UNDERWOOD: Sworn in late week, Barbara Underwood is the first woman to serve as New York’s attorney general. Underwood’s impression career includes other firsts—she was the first in her law-school class and the first woman to serve as the nation’s solicitor general. For more on Underwood’s incredible career, check out this profile in the New York Times.

ELECT WOMEN: DAGA’s 1881 Initiative to elect more women Attorneys General continues to make waves last week! Huffington Post’s Dana Liebelson underscored the importance of the 1881 initiative and gave shout-outs to South Dakota candidate Tatewin Means and Michigan candidate Dana Nessel. Glamour also spotlighted the effort last week. “We’re actually recruiting for women,” Oregon AG and 1881 Initiative co-chair Ellen Rosenblum told Glamour. “We are helping to train them, we are providing them with some services through DAGA so that they can kind of get moving on their campaign and develop their team and their strategy and help them raise a little bit of money so that they can get things going. We support them through the process once they’re the democratic candidate.”

MULVANEY MOVES: Interim CFPB director, Mick Mulvaney, signaled he will move the agency’s student loan division into the bureau’s consumer information unit. This new attack on one of the bureau’s core statutory functions is yet another example of Mulvaney’s effort to dismantle and disempower the consumer watchdog bureau that is reviled by President Trump. “At a time where Americans are saddled with $1.5 trillion in student loan debt, the last thing we should do is tear away critical support,” tweeted California AG Xavier Becerra of California. Find out more on the shift in the New York Times here.

STATEWATCH: New Mexico AG Hector Balderas took his street fight for justice to BitTorrent last week. Balderas is worried that technology is enabling child exploitation, and he’s putting pressure on the companies creating that technology. His office has sent a letter to BitTorrent asking it to cooperate with an investigation into tech-aided child exploitation. More information on Balderas’ leadership on the issue here.

ELECTIONS UPDATE: 176 days ‘til Election Day 2018!

• DAGA endorsed Ohio Attorney General candidate Steve Dettelbach last week. Endorsement announcement linked here and video of Dettelbach linked here.
• Michigan Attorney General candidate Dana Nessel was endorsed by Planned Parenthood and the Michigan Association of Justice.
• In Wisconsin, Attorney General candidate Josh Kaul called out GOP incumbent Brad Schimel for speaking to an anti-LGBTQ group.
• Arizona Attorney General candidate January Contreras was endorsed by Arizona Building and Constructions Trade Council.