ON THE TRAIL

KEYSTONE STATE ELECTION ALERT!
Pennsylvania AG Josh Shapiro’s announced his run for re-election this week!. “Pennsylvanians have a real advocate in Attorney General Josh Shapiro. His priorities are those of the people of the Commonwealth, and his leadership continues to make a difference in the lives of his constituents every day,” said DAGA Co-Chair Oregon AG Rosenblum. “AG Shapiro is a true People’s Lawyer, and we look forward to successfully re-electing this progressive champion,” said DAGA Co-chair Massachusetts AG Healey. Read more in DAGA’s statement here.

BONUS: “Our attorney general must be an advocate who will uphold the rule of law, especially when institutions are exploiting their power at the expense of Pennsylvanians — and that’s exactly how I’ll continue to serve in this role,” AG Shapiro wrote in a letter to the people of Pennsylvania in a Medium post.

STEIN SETTING UP FOR BIG 2020
North Carolina AG Josh Stein confirmed this week he is strongly positioned for the 2020 election with record-breaking fundraising. According to the latest campaign finance filing, AG Stein has over $3.9 million cash-on-hand, the most any non-gubernatorial state candidate has raised at this point in a campaign state history. Since AG Stein took office, he has lead the effort to clear the state’s backlog of untested sexual assault kits, made progress in combating the state’s opioid epidemic, forced polluters to pay to clean up the messes they created, and protected the right to vote. “I love serving as Attorney General because it’s my job to protect people,” AG Stein shared with the News & Observer.

BONUS: Since the beginning of this election cycle, AG Stein’s re-election campaign has received more than 10,000 individual contributions.

MULTI-STATE MOMENTS!

DEM AGs FACT CHECK TRUMP
This week, Dem AGs took to social media to correct misinformation coming from the White House. On Monday, Donald Trump tweeted that he “stands stronger than anyone” when it comes to protecting people with preexisting conditions. Dem AGs from across the country quickly took to Twitter to remind their constituents of two important facts: 1) this administration is trying to dismantle health care including protections for pre-existing conditions, and 2) Dem AGs are the leaders fighting back in court to save Obamacare. Virginia AG Mark Herring tweeted, “The Trump Administration has put the full weight of the federal government behind an effort to end protections for preexisting conditions. Trust me…I had to step in to defend your healthcare when he walked away.”

Reminder: In an effort to end any uncertainty in the healthcare system that might be caused by the Texas-led lawsuit to dismantle the ACA, Dem AGs have asked the Supreme Court to hear the case this term, which ends in June 2020. Read more about the ongoing lawsuit (and how Democratic AGs are saving health care) in The Hill here.

KEEPING THE DOOR OPEN FOR ASYLUM-SEEKERS
A coalition of Democratic AGs are challenging the Trump Administration’s proposal to restrict—and potentially eliminate—access to work permits for many asylum seekers. California AG Xavier Becerra, District of Columbia AG Karl Racine, and New Jersey AG Gurbir Grewal led 21 Dem AGs in filing a comment letter opposing this proposal. “Our asylum process was once a proud example of our country’s respect for human rights and leadership around the world, but this administration’s new work authorization restrictions trample on that legacy,” said AG Racine. The proposed rule extends the current waiting period before arriving asylum-seekers may request a work permit from five months to one year, delaying the ability of asylum-seekers to earn wages. It would also prevent pending asylees from requesting a permit at all if they did not enter the U.S. through an official port of entry. Read more about the comment letter here!

ERA NOW! (BUT NO, REALLY)
This week, the Virginia State Legislature passed the resolutions necessary to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). This means Virginia is moments away from becoming the 38^th and final state needed to add this amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Reminder: three Republican AGs have pre-emptively filed a lawsuit to block the ratification of the ERA signaling the GOP’s anti-women, anti-equality agenda is alive and well.

AG SPOTLIGHT!

A LOOK AT AG TONG’S FIRST YEAR
Connecticut AG William Tong celebrated his first year in office this week! His office has been busy protecting Connecticut consumers this year, fighting for a cleaner environment, and defending the state’s most vulnerable residents. AG Tong co-led efforts to hold corporate bad actors accountable on data privacy, the opioid epidemic, and big tech. AG Tong also sued to protect endangered species, protect state waters, and defend against air pollution. In addition to these suits, AG Tong personally defended Connecticut’s pardon process in the First and Second Circuits to protect two immigrants from deportation. “Over the past year, it has been my honor and privilege each and every day to lead the 313 men and women of this office,” AG Tong tweeted earlier this week. Read more about his first year accomplishments here.

TWEET OF THE WEEK

This week, District of Columbia AG Karl Racine and New York AG Tish James led a coalition of Democratic AGs in an effort to stop the Trump admin from eliminating the SNAP program.

VIDEO OF THE WEEK

On the day the Virginia State Legislature passed the Equal Rights Amendment, Virginia AG Mark Herring voiced his support and committed to doing everything his office can to enshrine equal rights for all in the U.S. Constitution.