With new AG, Virginia takes new position on abortion case
Virginia’s new attorney general has altered the state’s position on a closely watched abortion case before the U.S. Supreme Court, with his office now saying it should be left to individual states to decide on restrictions. When Democrat Mark Herring was attorney general, the state joined more than 20 other states in a brief filed in September urging the justices to declare unconstitutional Mississippi’s law banning abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. Herring was a strong supporter of abortion rights.
news.yahoo.comHarassing texts. Unwanted deliveries. Fake bomb threats that bring police to the door. Inside the tactics cybercriminals use to get social media users to surrender their accounts
Coveted usernames can fetch up thousands on online marketplaces. Cybercriminals are targeting users to get them.
cbsnews.comFeds to cooperate in Virginia case against Park Police cops
Attorney General Merrick Garland, in a break from his predecessors in the Trump administration, is allowing federal agents to cooperate with local prosecutors pursuing manslaughter charges against two U.S. Park Police officers who fatally shot a Virginia man after a stop-and-go chase in 2017. In a June 1 letter to Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring and Fairfax County Commonwealth's Attorney Steve Descano, Garland said the federal government “will share with the Commonwealth all appropriate information and evidence” in the investigation into the death of Bijan Ghaisar. Garland's letter is the latest twist in a nearly four-year legal saga following the shooting death of Ghaisar, 25, of McLean.
news.yahoo.comMcAuliffe win sets up Virginia clash with outsider Youngkin
Terry McAuliffe, a longtime fixture of Democratic politics, handily won his party’s nomination for Virginia governor in his quest for a second term, setting up what’s expected to be a hotly contested general election against a wealthy businessman and political newcomer, GOP nominee Glenn Youngkin. In his victory speech Tuesday night, McAuliffe made the case that Youngkin is too conservative for a state that's long been trending blue. “Let me be crystal clear: Glenn Youngkin is not a reasonable Republican,” said McAuliffe, who defeated four challengers to win the primary.
news.yahoo.comVirginia court to hear challenges to removal of Lee statue
Last June, when Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam announced a plan to take down a 131-year-old statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee, the move was met with widespread praise and relief from racial justice activists who had long seen it as a symbol of white supremacy. A year later, the enormous bronze equestrian statue still towers over a traffic circle on historic Monument Avenue in downtown Richmond, kept in place by two lawsuits filed by people who believe it should stay right where it is. On Tuesday, the Supreme Court of Virginia will hear arguments in the legal challenges.
news.yahoo.comDel. Jason Miyares wins Virginia GOP Attorney General nomination as vote-counting continues
The Republican Party of Virginia announced late Sunday that state Del. Jason Miyares has won its nomination for attorney general, as the party works to tabulate the votes for several state offices cast by tens of thousands of Virginia Republicans.
Mark Herring, along with other attorney generals, discuss rise in anti-Asian hate
ROANOKE, Va. – Days after the deadly shooting in Atlanta, three attorney generals, including Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring, sat down to address the rise of anti-Asian hate. Earlier this week, Herring used his No Hate VA initiative to raise awareness about abuse and discrimination acts against Asian Americans. It’s an issue that hits home for Connecticut Attorney General William Tong as he expressed his experience with hateful rhetoric. The attorney generals said they want to pass the No Hate Act to provide funding to law enforcement to collect hate crime data and send it to the FBI for investigations. You can see the attorney generals’ full conversation on YouTube.
AG Mark Herring among those dissapointed in Purdue Pharma bankruptcy plan
All rights reserved)Attorney General Mark Herring joined 23 other states to express his disappointment in the plan Purdue Pharma plan filed in bankruptcy court. With the $10 billion bankruptcy plan, Purdue Pharma proposes to change into a different company that will use some of its profits to help the U.S. fight the opioid crisis. Herring said after the long investigation conducted by states, Purdue and the Sacklers, the family who owns the company, need to take accountability for their role in creating the opioid crisis. This Purdue Pharma plan follows a trial in October 2020 where Purdue Pharma pled guilty to three counts tied to an opioid addiction and overdose crisis linked to more than 470,000 deaths in the country since 2000, according to the Associated Press. Violating federal anti-kickback lawsMarketing opioids to doctors that it suspected of writing illegal prescriptionsHerring said that Purdue needs to adjust its plan to provide for the following:
Judge dismisses lawsuit by Democratic AGs to recognize ERA
(AP Photo/Steve Helber, File)A federal judge on Friday dismissed a lawsuit filed by three Democratic state attorneys general that had sought to force the federal government to recognize Virginia's vote last year to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment and add it to the Constitution. Constitutional amendments must be ratified by three-quarters of the states, or 38, but Congress enacted a ratification deadline for the ERA that passed decades ago. An emailed message seeking comment from the press office of the National Archives and Records Administration was not immediately returned. Ford in Nevada said in a statement Friday that women have always been endowed with equal rights but it's past time for the country to recognize that. Opponents of the measure warn it could be used to erase protections such as workplace accommodations during pregnancy.
Gov. Ralph Northam endorses Jay Jones over incumbent Attorney General Mark Herring
(AP Photo/Steve Helber) RIGHT: Jay Jones picture from his campaign websiteOn Thursday morning, rather than the man he’s served beside for four years, Gov. Ralph Northam endorsed the Democrat looking to halt two-term Attorney General Mark Herring’s reelection campaign, Jay Jones. Simply put, Ralph Northam is the most consequential governor in the history of this Commonwealth.”AdIf elected, Jones would be Virginia’s first Black attorney general. Jones’ opponent, Mark Herring won the 2017 race for attorney general, beating Republican John Donley Adams by 175,850 votes, with 53.3% of all votes cast. Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring (WSLS)In the election prior, 2013, Herring only defeated his Republican challenger, Mark Dudley Obenshain, by 165 votes.
Attorney General Mark Herring creates Virginia’s first worker protection unit
RICHMOND, Va. – Attorney General Mark Herring announced Wednesday the designation of the Virginia Attorney General’s first Worker Protection Unit, a multidisciplinary team of prosecutors and attorneys within the Office of Attorney General. It will be led by a dedicated criminal prosecutor, that will focus on investigating, stopping and prosecuting individuals and businesses who unlawfully engage in worker exploitation, in addition to educating Virginia workers on their rights. Ad“Misclassification, payroll fraud, and wage theft are somewhat complicated terms, but at their simplest they are all instances of business owners and managers stealing from their hardworking employees,” said Herring. “For way too long, Virginia’s weak worker protection laws have made it way too easy for business managers, owners, and labor brokers to cheat their workers and cheat the Commonwealth. The Unit will also engage, as needed, with state agencies that have enforcement and oversight authority around worker protection laws including the Virginia Department of Taxation, Virginia Employment Commission, Virginia Department of Labor and Industry, and Office of Inspector General.
Attorney General Mark Herring files brief in effort to protect immigrant rights
RICHMOND, Va. – Attorney General Mark Herring and several other attorneys are fighting for the rights of nearly 400,000 Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders in the U.S. Herring and 21 other attorneys have filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court to give TPS holders the right to become permanent residents after meeting some mandatory requirements. “The Commonwealth is home to tens of thousands of TPS holders, who came to Virginia seeking refuge and safety and who have since put down roots here, raised their families here, and become valued members of their communities. The case is currently pending and the Supreme Court is trying to reverse the Third Circuit’s decision that TPS holders who entered the country unknowingly can’t change their status to permanent residency. Herring argues that the Court should reject the Third Circuit’s decision on the basis that TPS holders should have the opportunity for permanent residency and then later, citizenship.
Attorney General Herring sues agency for allegedly targeting immigrants
Attorney General Mark Herring is going after an agency he believes preys on immigrants. Herring is joining forces the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the attorneys general of New York and Massachusetts to sue Virginia-based organization Libre by Nexus and its parent company, Nexus Services. Libre charges large upfront fees and hefty monthly payments, which typically amount to thousands of dollars more than the face value of the bond. “Today’s lawsuit is really a culmination of years of work to bring this exploitative business and its owners to justice,” said Herring. AdThe lawsuit alleges Libre and its parent company violate consumer protection laws and is asking for millions in monetary reparations, wants to put an end to the company’s illegal practices and impose penalties on the companies.
Attorney General Mark Herring looking to have Sen. Amanda Chase’s lawsuit dismissed
Virginia’s attorney general doesn’t feel a recent lawsuit filed by a Republican candidate for governor has merit to be heard in court. On Monday, Mark Herring filed a motion to dismiss in Virginia Sen. Amanda Chase’s lawsuit seeking to overturn her censure by the Virginia Senate that occurred on January 27, 2021. Herring feels that the Virginia Senate, “acted entirely consistently with its own rules when considering and approving the resolution of censure,” according to his motion. I will continue to do so in a way that I feel helps people to listen. I don’t think I’ve said or misspoken,” said Chase, who represents Virginia’s 11th district.
Pulaski County couple threatened with eviction over assistance animal gets $30,000 settlement
A Pulaski County couple that was threatened with eviction over their assistance animal is now getting a $30,000 settlement. The Butlers then brought their request to the owner of the townhome, Jeffrey Stump, who sent the couple a written denial that threatened eviction. It is still a pet,” Stump said in a letter to the couple. Herring’s office said Stump then tried to evict the couple, but they filed a complaint alleging housing discrimination with the Virginia Fair Housing Office. As a part of the settlement, the landlord has to adopt non-discrimination and reasonable accommodation policies, go to a fair housing training annually for three years and pay the couple $30,000.
Attorney General asks Supreme Court to reject appeal in Lee statue case
FILE - This June 27, 2017, file photo, shows the statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee that stands in the middle of a traffic circle on Monument Avenue in Richmond, Va. A lawsuit seeking to prevent Virginia Gov. Ralph Northams administration from removing an enormous statue of Gen. Lee can proceed, a judge ruled Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2020, clearing the way for a trial in the fall. (AP Photo/Steve Helber, File)RICHMOND, Va. – Attorney General Mark Herring has asked the Supreme Court of Virginia to reject an appeal from a group of Richmond residents seeking to stop the governor from removing an enormous statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee. In a brief filed Wednesday afternoon, Herring urged the court to reject the plaintiffs’ petition for an appeal outright or expedite the proceedings if the court decides to hear the case. A circuit court judge sided with the state after a trial in October.
Virginia Office of Civil Rights one step closer to reality
RICHMOND, Va – Attorney General Mark Herring’s efforts to establish a Civil Rights office moved forward Wednesday. The office would be staffed and operated under the attorney general’s office. The Office of Civil Rights would handle race, gender and age discrimination on all levels in the Commonwealth. Virginia is a place that is open and welcoming to everyone we need to make sure that there is discrimination happening, and we put a stop to it,” Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring said. The bill did pass in a subcommittee Wednesday and will now move on to be considered by the House of Delegates
Virginians celebrate one year since Equal Rights Amendment ratified
ROANOKE, Va – Just one year ago, Virginia become the 38th and final state needed to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). “It’s shameful that 250 years after our nation was founded, women still do not have constitutional guarantee of equal rights in our foundational document,” Herring said. But during its journey to becoming the 28th amendment, the equal rights amendment has hit some roadblocks. “Unfortunately, the Trump administration was so opposed to the notion of constitutional guarantees for women’s equality and strong arms, the National archivist is not recognizing this amendment,” Herring said. Herring is hopeful that the future will look a lot different for equal rights protection for women.
Va. attorney general seeks pipeline case dismissal
Because it planned to cross National Forest land, Atlantic needed a permit from the United States Forest Service an agency that describes its own mission as caring for the land and serving people. Unfortunately, the services evaluation of the permit fell far short of that promise, Herring contended. This National Forest picnic area sits near the proposed pipeline path. (File photo)MONTEREY State attorney general Mark Herring filed a brief on Jan. 22 with the U.S. Supreme Court stating...
therecorderonline.comVa. lawmaker asks AG for opinion on 2nd Amendment sanctuary trend
RICHMOND A Democratic state delegate has asked Attorney General Mark Herring (D) for a formal opinion on the Second Amendment sanctuary declarations being passed in a growing number of conservative counties across the state. In a letter sent to the attorney general Monday, Del. Jay Jones, D-Norfolk, said a legal opinion could help clear up confusion on an issue that has become a flashpoint across our state. Clarification from the attorney generals office said, Jones said, would benefit t...
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