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

AWARDS SEASON
This week, we learned that Michigan AG Dana Nessel will receive this year’s City Pulse LGBTQ+ Inclusion Award on June 12th. AG Nessel is a champion for LGBTQ+ rights and she made history in 2018 for being the first openly LGBTQ candidate elected statewide in Michigan. Read more about the honorees here!

“The largest private sector corporate cartel in history”
On Sunday, in a 60 Minutes exclusive, Connecticut AG William Tong announced a new multi-state lawsuit against some of the biggest generic drug makers. AG Tong is leading more than 40 states and territories “accusing the biggest generic drug makers of a massive, systemic conspiracy to bilk consumers out of billions of dollars.” During the 60 Minutes interview, AG Tong told Bill Whitaker, “we have evidence, hard evidence, in the form of text messages, emails, documents, witnesses that demonstrate clearly that it wasn’t about product shortages. It was about profit. It was about cold, hard greed.” You can read a transcript and watch the interview here!

BONUS CONTENT: AG Tong sat down with Jonathan Yang at PBS NewsHour to discuss the lawsuit. You can read the transcript and watch the interview here!

ALL EYES ON ALABAMA
This week Alabama Governor Kay Ivey signed into law the most restrictive abortion ban in the country. What DAGA Co-Chair Oregon AG Rosenblum said last week in response to Georgia passing a six-week abortion ban is even more salient this week:

CALIFORNIA MAKES IT 50
California AG Xavier Becerra filed his 50th lawsuit against the Trump administration this week. The latest lawsuit challenges a new federal rule on union dues policy that “interferes with the ability to deduct union dues from paychecks of workers in a government program that helps the elderly and disabled in their homes.” In a news conference announcing the lawsuit, AG Becerra said the new rule “shows the reckless disregard of this administration for healthcare and these workers. It will disrupt these unions and the care their workers provide in monumental ways.” You can read more about his 50th in the Los Angeles Times article here!

2 in 2020
Montana Governor Steve Bullock’s announcement this week that he would seek the Democratic nomination for President of the United States brings the number of former Democratic Attorneys General running in 2020 to TWO (2), California Senator Kamala Harris being the other. To highlight this trend in Dem AGs leading the party, DAGA released the following statement, “Democratic Attorneys General have long stood as the legal backbone of the Party and continue to bring that expertise to offices across the country.” You can read more about Democratic AG leadership here!

SUPPORT FOR SURVIVORS OF FALLEN LAW ENFORCEMENT
A bipartisan effort in Wisconsin that would provide benefits to survivors of fallen law enforcement officers in the state nabbed the attention of Wisconsin AG Josh Kaul. AG Kaul said, “No one should lose health-insurance coverage because a spouse or parent died in the line of duty as a law enforcement officer.” Check out more on the proposal here and AG Kaul’s full statement here!

RHODE ISLAND “STATE OF MIND”
Rhode Island AG Peter Neronha sat down with local news to talk about the news of the day, the current political environment in Washington, DC, security at offices of the Rhode Island Attorney General and more! Check out the full interview here!

ON THE RADAR: The Kentucky primary is next week on Tuesday, May 21st, 2019.