WASHINGTON, DC – In an episode of the Legal AF podcast this week from the MeidasTouch Network, California Attorney Genral Rob Bonta and New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin sat down with Michael Popok to talk through their latest lawsuit against the Trump administration for withholding vital funds—$1.4 billion— to victims of violent crime, otherwise known as the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA).  

“We’re talking about sexual assault victims, victims of domestic violence, gun violence victims, child sex abuse victims,” AG Platkin said. “And yet here we are for the first time ever having an administration say, unless you bend the knee and do something that courts and Congress have said you don’t have to do with respect to mass immigration enforcement, we’re not going to fund your victim services.” 

Key highlights: 

• It’s not just the governors,” host Michael Popok said. “It’s their attorneys general as well that are fighting the good fight and winning… they are the ones that you need to focus on in terms of the resistance against Donald Trump’s abuse of power.”

• “Once again, no surprise or shock tragically and sadly, but still no less painful to see the Trump administration, Mr. Trump himself, victimize the victims, turn his back on victims, devalue them, treat them as pawns in his political game as he tries to leverage states to do things that are unlawful and unconstitutional and harms victims in the process,” AG Bonta said.
• “And these people have experienced the worst thing they will ever experience in their life, something that’s unimaginable to so many of us and they deserve support and services and programs to help them in their healing journey,” Bonta said. “He is turning his back on them. It is unfortunately very characteristic as you properly point out Michael about who he is and consistent with his brand, but it is no less wrong. It is immoral and yes, it is illegal.”
• “And so we have filed our 39th lawsuit in 30 weeks because that’s how many times this president has violated the law,” Bonta said. “It has been blatant. It has been brazen. It has been consistent. It has been frequent. More than once a week, we’ve had to sue him. We don’t want to sue him, but we will sue him when he breaks the law, when he violates the Constitution. That is non-negotiable for us.”
• “I cannot fathom the idea that you would weaponize the federal government against these people,” AG Platkin said. “I mean they have endured unimaginable pain, and this are part of a pattern as you noted and this administration which talks a big game about law and order. I think they’re the most anti-public safety administration in maybe in American history at this point.”
• “It’s unbelievable to see them and the attorney general of this nation talking about restoring law and order in the nation’s capital with this charade while at the same time, they’re gutting programs that keep people safe in states like New Jersey and California and all the others that joined us,” Platkin said.
• “The Republican AGS are nowhere to be seen,” Bonta said. “You know, cowering in the corner once again, craven and cowardly and feckless and not standing up, but instead bending the knee to Trump and not fighting for the victims in their state.”
• But they [Republicans AGs] are not fighting for the people in their state,” Bonta said. “They are not fighting for victim’s rights. They, like Trump, are anti- victim and turning their back on victims while Democratic AGs and Democratic states are fighting for public safety.”
• When we have sought a temporary restraining order or a preliminary injunction and the court has ruled, we have won and secured those orders 19 out of 21 times,” AG Bonta said. “So, over 90%-win record at the early stage.” 

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