Virginia AG Mark Herring, Illinois AG Kwame Raoul, and Nevada AG Aaron Ford Lead Effort

Yesterday, three Democratic AGs filed a lawsuit seeking to ensure the Equal Rights Amendment is added to the U.S. Constitution. On the heels of Virginia becoming the 38^th and final state needed for ratification, the Dem AG coalition is urging “the archivist to carry out his statutory duty of recognizing the complete and final adoption of the Equal Rights Amendment.”

Virginia AG Mark Herring, Illinois AG Kwame Raoul, and Nevada AG Aaron Ford, who are leading the lawsuit, represent the three most recent states to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment. Illinois was the 36th state to ratify the ERA in 2017, Nevada the 37^th in 2018, and just this week, Virginia became the 38^th and final state needed for ratification.

“We now have this historic opportunity to ensure that equal rights regardless of sex are properly recognized as part of the Constitution. Virginians have made it clear that it is their will that the ERA be ratified and I now have the great honor of continuing that fight to make sure that gender equality is enshrined in the U.S. Constitution, guaranteeing equality for generations of women to come.” – Virginia AG Mark Herring

Read statements from AG Herring here, AG Raoul here and AG Ford here!.

Earlier this month, DAGA’s Executive Committee voiced support of the ERA and condemned the Republican AGs lawsuit to block its ratification.

“We stand with women and for equality. Unfortunately, we cannot say the same of these Republican Attorneys General. We urge our colleagues from across the aisle to reconsider this wrongheaded waste of taxpayer dollars.”

For more on the Republican AGs anti-woman and anti-equality lawsuit, check out this HuffPost article and this Bustle article. Read DAGA’s full statement here!

KEY EARLY COVERAGE

Associated Press: Democratic AGs sue to force US to ratify ERA
Washington Post: Herring, other state AGs file lawsuit demanding addition of ERA to Constitution
USA Today: 3 state attorneys general sue to recognize ERA as 28th Amendment
CNN: Three Democratic attorneys general sue to have Equal Rights Amendment added to Constitution
Axios: State attorneys general sue to demand certification of Equal Rights Amendment
The Hill: States sue to demand ratification of Equal Rights Amendment
NBC: 3 states ask judge to declare Equal Rights Amendment part of the Constitution
Chicago Tribune: Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul joins lawsuit to force US to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment
Nevada Current: Nevada, Virginia, Illinois sue to have ERA recognized as 28th amendment
Virginian-Pilot: Virginia’s Mark Herring, other Democratic AGs sue to force ERA ratification