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Dear Friends,
September was another busy month for my office. My assistant attorneys general and staff are the best in the country, and they never stop working on behalf of Washingtonians. Their work involves a breadth of issues ― from holding a major Seattle arena accountable for charging a hidden fee, to returning $400,000 to tenants of a mobile home park. We also continued our success against the gun lobby and went to court to prevent the release of dangerous sex offenders into the community.
Here are some highlights of the incredible legal work my office engages in every day to stand up for Washingtonians:
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Climate Pledge Arena will pay nearly half a million dollars in penalties and refunds as a result of my office's investigation into a hidden fee the arena charged thousands of Washingtonians between February and July 2023. Climate Pledge added a 3% fee to food and beverage purchases without disclosing it, in violation of Washington's Consumer Protection Act. I ensured that Climate Pledge will pay $10 to each individual in addition to refunding the hidden fees. Watch coverage of that resolution here from KIRO: https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/jesse-jones-hidden-fees-climate-pledge-arena/SQFZCHPZURHC5K3TBJDKEUYCPM/
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The owners of an Ilwaco mobile home park will pay approximately $400,000 in restitution to 40 current and former residents as a result of my office's consumer protection lawsuit. Overall, the owners are paying nearly $1.1 million over unlawful eviction and utility shutoff notices. One of the owners described residents as "filth." Read more about that resolution here: https://www.atg.wa.gov/news/news-releases/400k-restitution-mail-ilwaco-mobile-home-park-residents-result-successful-ag
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My office's Sexually Violent Predator Unit continued its work to prevent the release of dangerous sex offenders. In Skagit County, prosecutors from the unit began a three-week trial seeking the civil commitment of a sex offender as a Sexually Violent Predator. In Whatcom County, a Superior Court judge found probable cause to transfer a sex offender to McNeil Island after my office filed a petition to prevent his release into the community. The civil commitment petition consists of allegations that have not yet been proven in a court of law. My prosecutors still must prove the allegations in court beyond a reasonable doubt. The Whatcom County offender will remain at McNeil Island until his trial in early 2025. Read more about that case here: https://www.atg.wa.gov/news/news-releases/attorney-general-s-sex-predator-unit-seeks-prevent-release-whatcom-county-sex
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I partnered with a bipartisan group of 42 attorneys general urging congressional leaders to require U.S. Surgeon General warning labels on social media platforms. Congress could help abate the nation's youth mental health crisis by mandating a surgeon general's warning on algorithm-driven social media platforms, which include Instagram and Facebook. The warning will remind parents and adolescents that social media is not safe. Read our letter here: https://agportal-s3bucket.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/uploadedfiles/Home/News/Press_Releases/SM%20Warning%20Label%20Letter_FINAL.pdf?VersionId=GFQMh6OMu77mmL10GBIX6bAhnJrUkN1q
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My office will use $2 million from our enforcement action against a gun store that violated the state ban on high-capacity magazines to fund programs intended to reduce gun violence, promote firearms safety and support victims of gun violence. Any local police department, county sheriff's office or tribal police agency in Washington is eligible to apply for the funding. Applicants must demonstrate how gun violence is impacting their community, supported by relevant data, and clearly articulate how they will use the funding to achieve concrete goals to address the problem. Applications for the funding must be submitted by Oct. 31. Applications should be submitted to Cherie Norris, grants and contracts supervisor at the Attorney General's Office, at [email protected] or by mail at 7141 Cleanwater Dr. SW, P.O. Box 40107, Olympia, WA 98504-0107. Read more: https://www.atg.wa.gov/news/news-releases/ag-ferguson-seeks-local-law-e…
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Finally, my office continues to successfully defend Washington's common-sense firearms laws against attacks from the gun lobby. In late September, a federal judge rejected yet another attempt to block Washington's new law banning the sale of assault weapons. It marked the fourth time a court upheld the law. Read more about that case here: https://www.atg.wa.gov/news/news-releases/ag-ferguson-successfully-defends-against-another-attempt-block-washington-s-ban
We will continue to seek justice and protect the health and safety of all the people in Washington state.
Sincerely,
Bob Ferguson
Washington State Attorney General
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