AG Brown helps Washingtonians track state litigation against the Trump administration

SEATTLE - At an average of more than one lawsuit a week, Washington state has sued the Trump administration 37 times since January.

The Attorney General's Office (AGO) filed these lawsuits to fight for the civil rights and privacy of Washingtonians, and to protect $14 billion in federal funding that supports vital public services for people across the state. Summaries of these lawsuits, and links to the case dockets are now available.

"This president refuses to follow the Constitution and abide by the rule of law. Fortunately, states like Washington are fighting to ensure our foundational principles and rights are protected," Brown said. "Whether it's attacks on workers, students, public safety, the environment, immigrants, or other core pieces of our communities, this office has an excellent team passionate about safeguarding Washingtonians' rights. Together, we're working every day to defend Washington law and help get the state through these times."

Washington's legal team has secured notable wins, including:

• A Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling blocking President Trump's attempt to end birthright citizenship, which would have harmed thousands of Washington babies each year, and affirming the nationwide scope of the injunction
• Full restoration of about $150 million in funding for Washington schools and educational programs that the Trump administration had frozen
• An order blocking the president's illegal actions to "end" gender affirming care to young people through withholding funding to medical institutions and providers who provide such care
• Protecting more than $180 million in funding for infrastructure projects that guard against natural disasters, such as levees and earthquake retrofitting
• Preserving more than $21 million in funding for AmeriCorps service and volunteer programs in Washington
• Restoring more than $71 million in funding for the expansion of electric vehicle infrastructure in Washington

The AGO has experienced some setbacks, including in orders issued by the U.S. Supreme Court through the emergency shadow docket, which refers to cases the court considers on an emergency basis without full briefing and oral argument. Decisions made this way are not the final word, and litigation on the core issues of each case continues. Some cases include:

• The Supreme Court ruled in favor of the federal government, and against Washington and 15 other states, effectively allowing the National Institutes of Health to terminate $783 million in grants that the administration deemed were related to diversity, equity, and inclusion, gender identity, and other topics. We are fighting to ensure these terminated grants are restored to researchers and that future terminations cannot be made based on illegal federal policies.
• The high court granted an order that allows the Department of Education to take steps to dismantle itself while the underlying case proceeds. The AGO hopes to brief and argue the issue fully before the court, so that this critical federal agency can be preserved.

For Washington, there are three basic criteria that must be met when filing a federal lawsuit against the executive branch:

• Whether the administration's actions are illegal or unconstitutional,
• Whether the actions are harming Washingtonians or entities in the state, and
• Whether a lawsuit is necessary to protect Washington's interests.

Washington state law gives the Attorney General broad authority to sue on behalf of the people of Washington. That means when Washingtonians' rights are under attack, whether that's by a company defrauding consumers or by the president of the United States curtailing the civil rights of residents, the office can file a lawsuit and seek justice on their behalf. The Attorney General also serves as chief legal officer for most of state government, and many of the federal lawsuits have been filed on behalf of state agencies harmed by the federal administration's actions. At this point in time during the first Trump administration, Washington state had filed 13 lawsuits.

While the challenges created by the current president are significant, the work of the AGO encompasses much more than federal litigation. Some of the agency's many responsibilities include protecting consumers and workers, enforcing antitrust laws against anti-competitive business practices, enforcing state civil rights laws, prosecuting sexually violent predators, protecting the rights of veterans, and safeguarding the environment. Click here to learn more about the AGO.

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Washington's Attorney General serves the people and the state of Washington. As the state's largest law firm, the Attorney General's Office provides legal representation to every state agency, board, and commission in Washington. Additionally, the Office serves the people directly by enforcing consumer protection, civil rights, and environmental protection laws. The Office also prosecutes elder abuse, Medicaid fraud, and handles sexually violent predator cases in 38 of Washington's 39 counties. Visit https://www.atg.wa.gov to learn more.

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