DAGA Download – February 5
February 5, 2021
ON THE TRAIL
STRONG TEAM, STRONG CAMPAIGN
Virginia AG Mark Herring is kicking off February with the announcement of his leadership team for re-election. AG Herring’s senior staff includes DAGA’s Political Director Farah Melendez who will be serving as Campaign Manager. Rounding out the rest of the senior staff is: Adnan Mohamed as Deputy Campaign Manager and Political Director, Tommy Keefe as Finance Director, Cassie Moreno as Communications Director, and André Earls as Press Secretary. AG Herring said “Our work to make Virginia more safe, more just, and more equitable is only just beginning, and our diverse and talented senior leadership team represents an investment in the future of the Commonwealth.”
MULTISTATE MOMENTS
REELING IN ROBOCALLS
North Carolina AG Josh Stein is co-leading a bipartisan coalition of 35 Attorneys General to ensure that state Attorneys General can fight against robocalls. The coalition includes 23 Democratic AGs including Maryland AG Brian Frosh who joined in filing the amicus brief and Connecticut AG William Tong who said “Every day, our office is working to end the nuisance and threat that robocalls and scams present to Connecticut residents.” Read more about the work being done by Democratic AGs to fight robocalls here.
AG SPOTLIGHT
ACCOUNTABILITY MATTERS
This week, Michigan AG Dana Nessel joined Governor Whitmer and Secretary of State Benson in filing complaints to seek disbarment against four attorneys—including “Kraken” attorney Sidney Powell—who pushed a false narrative of widespread election fraud in legal proceedings before multiple judges and courts. AG Nessel said “These attorneys filed a complaint based on falsehoods, used their law license in an attempt to disenfranchise Michigan voters and undermine the faith of the public in the legitimacy of the recent presidential election, and lent credence to untruths that led to violence and unrest.” Read more about this effort here.
NEW YEAR, NEW YORK
With a new year underway under a new Administration, New York AG Tish James talked to Bloomberg about her time in office taking on Trump and other big fights, like taking on the National Rifle Association and Big Tech, and what it’s like fighting for New Yorkers every day. “Trump was burning the house down and we [Democratic] attorneys general were putting out the fire,” said AG James. Read the great profile here.
THE FIRST, BUT NOT THE LAST
DAGA Co-Chair Nevada AG Aaron Ford spoke to the Las Vegas Review-Journal about being the first Black state Attorney General in Nevada. “I have met many people who look like me who have said to me, point blank, that because of the position I am in, they feel as though they can aspire to the position they would like to be in” AG Ford said. WATCH AG Ford’s conversation below:
TWEET OF THE WEEK
After Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez shared her detailed account of the January 6th insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, Massachusetts AG Maura Healey shared her thoughts and highlighted the importance of accountability:
PHOTO OF THE WEEK
As a massive snowstorm hit the Northeast, Pennsylvania AG Josh Shapiro reminded us just how important it is document snow days … and our pets:
VIDEO OF THE WEEK
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, former Rhode Island Democratic Attorney General, appeared on MSNBC’s The ReidOut with JoyAnn Reid to discuss the financial connections between the far-right and the deadly January 6th insurrection, including ties to the Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA). Watch below:
