Latest news with #WashingtonStateAttorneyGeneral'sOffice
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Federal judge blocks Trump's dismantling of the Department of Education
The Brief A federal judge blocked the Trump administration's plan to dismantle the Department of Education, following a lawsuit by 21 state attorneys general. The injunction reinstates employees and halts the department's closure, with AGs arguing the move is illegal and unconstitutional. The block remains in effect until a merits decision in the legal proceedings is reached. SEATTLE - A Massachusetts federal judge on Thursday issued a preliminary injunction blocking the Trump administration's dismantling of the Department of Education. Washington and 20 other state attorneys general filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration on March 13, after the President announced plans to lay off half the Department of Education staff. The coalition then filed a motion for preliminary injunction after President Trump signed an executive order to close the department. and transfer student loan management and special education to outside agencies. What they're saying In an 88-page court order, U.S. District Judge Myong Joun granted the request for injunction, temporarily blocking the Trump administration from carrying out their dismantling of the department and ordering them to reinstate all employees fired during their sweeping layoffs. "Today's injunction supports the rule of law, and students and educators around the country," said Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown. "Our office will fight illegal and unconstitutional executive orders. And we will continue to win." Big picture view In their arguments, the AGs asserted that Trump's move to eliminate the Department of Education is "illegal and unconstitutional," as it is an executive agency authorized by Congress — and only Congress has the authority to dismantle the department if they vote on it. They further argued that mass layoffs at the department violate the Adminstrative Procedures Act. The injunction shall remain in effect until a merits decision is reached in legal proceedings between the multi-state coalition and the Trump administration. The Source Information in this story comes from the Washington State Attorney General's Office and court records from the U.S. District Court in Massachusetts. Tacoma cold case investigation yields no new evidence in Teekah Lewis case 17 arrested in Kent, WA during ICE raid Washingtonians will need state permit to buy guns under new law Activist marks 2 weeks in tree to protest logging near Port Angeles Rescue underway after boat sinks in Possession Sound near Everett, WA Murder, arson charges for suspect in Gig Harbor, WA house fire To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter. Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national news.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Attorney General sues Seattle Public Schools for alleged illegal treatment of pregnant employees
The Washington State Attorney General's Office has filed a lawsuit against Seattle Public Schools (SPS), alleging that the district repeatedly failed to provide reasonable accommodations to pregnant and nursing employees 'as required by law.' According to the suit, SPS 'routinely failed to provide legally required accommodations to pregnant and nursing employees such as flexible restroom breaks, modified work schedules, and the ability to sit more frequently.' KIRO 7 has reached out to the school district for comment and has yet to hear back. The suit alleges that one employee, while eight months pregnant, was unable to sit her entire workday. 'The state's investigation revealed that Seattle Public Schools did not have a district-level policy for how to handle pregnancy accommodation requests from employees. The district also failed to provide reasonable break time to express milk, or clean and private locations for nursing employees to pump. Employees were walked in on while expressing milk, endured painful clogged ducts, and experienced infections like mastitis. One employee felt 'they had no choice but to take leave to continue breastfeeding,' according to the complaint. The suit also alleges the school district violated state law by retaliating against employees who sought reasonable accommodations. The practices detailed in the suit, dating back to at least 2021, allegedly violate the state Healthy Starts Act and the Washington Law Against Discrimination, according to the AG's office. The lawsuit, filed in King County Superior Court, 'seeks to halt Seattle Public Schools from engaging in its discriminatory practices and award restitution to each impacted employee,' the suit reads.
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Washington Attorney General's staff walks out Thursday
The Brief Washington State Attorney General's Office staff walked out on Thursday in protest against proposed financial cuts and furloughs by Governor Bob Ferguson. The walkout, held in partnership by two local unions, took place at offices in Seattle, Olympia, Tacoma and Spokane. SEATTLE - Staff from the Washington State Attorney General's Office participated in a walkout on Thursday, bringing attention to the impacts of proposed financial cuts and furloughs. What we know The walkout was held in partnership with two unions, including the Washington State Attorney General's Office Professional Staff Local 795 and theWashington Assistant Attorneys General Union Local 5279. Those in attendance held signs and chanted against Governor Bob Ferguson's recommended budget cuts of about $4 billion. "So we're hoping that every legislator understands that the work of the Attorney General's office, which a lot of people I understand don't know, so we need to advocate for ourselves, but the work that we do is to keep criminals behind bars, put them there, and the civil rights and everything that's coming from the other Washington that right now we're having to defend for our Washingtonians' safety and security," said Kim Triplett-Kolerich with WFSE Local 795. The cuts, in an attempt to reduce the state's multi-billion-dollar deficit, include: Making most state employees take a furlough day every month over the next two years Reductions to government travel, property expenses and non-vital operations Reviewing and scaling back new spending and program expansions The walkouts took place outside every attorney general's office in Washington state, including in Seattle, Olympia, Tacoma and Spokane. Organizers encouraged people to contact their local state representative to ensure their voices and concerns about the cuts are being heard. The Source Information in this story is from FOX 13 Seattle reporting. Top aide for WA Gov. Ferguson resigns over workplace complaints, report Seattle police arrest man accused of more than 20 bank robberies Here's where Seattle renters are relocating Seattle's Capitol Hill Block Party announces 2025 lineup, changes to event Could Bryan Kohberger's autism defense for capital murder set a precedent? To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter. Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national coverage, plus 24/7 streaming coverage from across the nation.
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Washington joins lawsuit to stop probationary federal employee cuts
Mar. 5—OLYMPIA — The Washington State Attorney General's Office has joined a lawsuit seeking to block the Trump administration's efforts to terminate probationary federal employees. It anticipates more Washingtonians will lose their positions if the plan moves forward. In a filing Wednesday, the Attorney General's Office said the state government believes at least a thousand federal employees in Washington have been terminated as part of President Donald Trump's plan to downsize federal offices. According to the state Employment Security Department, the state is home to roughly 76,000 federal employees. "Many of the president's power grabs have this problem in common — they're illegal," Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown said in a statement Wednesday. "These firings don't save the public a dime, but they do make government less responsive, particularly in the communities across the nation where these employees live and serve." The lawsuit was initially brought by a collection of union groups who represent federal employees against the Office of Personnel Management. A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order on Friday and directed the Office of Personnel Management to rescind its guidance to federal agencies to identify probationary employees, typically those who are in the first year of their position. Following the ruling, Everett Kelley, president of the American Federation of Government Employees, said the ruling was an "important initial victory for patriotic Americans across this country who were illegally fired from their jobs by an agency that had no authority to do so. "These are rank-and-file workers who joined the federal government to make a difference in their communities, only to be suddenly terminated due to this administration's disdain for federal employees and desire to privatize their work," Kelley said in a statement Monday. "OPM's direction to agencies to engage in the indiscriminate firing of federal probationary employees is illegal, plain and simple, and our union will keep fighting until we put a stop to these demoralizing and damaging attacks on our civil service once and for all." On Tuesday, the Office of Personnel Management amended a Jan. 20 memo and added a paragraph that said the agency "is not directing agencies to take any specific performance-based actions regarding probationary employees." "Agencies have ultimate decision-making authority over, and responsibility for, such personnel actions," the updated memo states. In February, the Washington State Governor's office said that the state's Employment Security Department had seen an uptick in federal employees filing for unemployment in the new year. As of Feb. 21, an average of 14 federal employees filed for state unemployment benefits per day. Between Feb. 13 and 18, 156 federal employees filed for unemployment in Washington, with 63 employees filing on Feb. 18. "My administration is standing at the ready to support all Washington workers — including federal government employees impacted by chaos in the federal government," Gov. Bob Ferguson said in a Feb. 21 statement. "We will help you get back on your feet." Spokane County is home to roughly 5,000 federal employees, according to data from the Employment Security Department. The largest concentration of federal employees in the state is in King, Pierce and Kitsap counties, which are home to large military installations, among other facilities. In a filing Wednesday, the Washington Attorney's General Office argued that staff reductions in federal agencies would have far-reaching impacts, past the immediate impact on those who have lost their jobs. "Reduced staffing at any of the federal agencies on which the State relies and interacts with every day will directly impact the State, far beyond the immediate harm to federal employees based in Washington who have lost their livelihood and benefits," the filing states. The filing highlights many cooperative efforts between the federal government and the state that could be impacted by the staffing cuts. "The State relies on partnerships with the federal government to fight wildfires, contain outbreaks of communicable diseases, keep its waters clean, and respond to natural disasters," the filing states. "Without sufficient federal staffing, the State's workload and costs will increase, forest fires within the State will be harder to fight, diseases will be harder to control, and emergency response times will drop."
Yahoo
15-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ferguson vows to work with federal government when possible despite 'chaotic start' to Trump administration
Feb. 14—OLYMPIA — Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson vowed Thursday that he would continue to work with the second Trump administration when priorities align. He said, however, that the president is "showing very little inclination in working with states who do not agree with his worldview." "It has been, to put it mildly, a chaotic first few weeks of his administration," Ferguson said. Surrounded by a collection of statewide officials and legislators, Ferguson outlined the state's approach to the Trump administration during a news conference in the governor's office at the Washington State Capitol Building. "My message to President Trump is fairly simple: I'll work with you on areas of common interest, but you're making it tough, OK? But I'm still committed to that, I really am," Ferguson said. "But if you overstep your authority, we will stand up to you. President Trump's chaos will not stop us from working on behalf of the people." Thursday's event came shortly before the Washington State Attorney General's Office announced it had joined a multistate lawsuit challenging the influence of Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency, which has sought to shrink the size and scope of the federal government's powers under Trump's administration. Trump and Musk argue that they have the authority to do the work they are doing and that cutting government waste is what Americans wanted when they picked Trump in the November election. "The people voted for major government reform and that's what the people are going to get. They're going to get what they voted for," Musk said in the Oval Office next to Trump in response to a reporter's question earlier this week. "A lot of time people don't get what they voted for, but in this presidency they are going to get what they voted for and that's what democracy is all about." The lawsuit is the fifth Attorney General Nick Brown has filed or joined against the second Trump administration, though Ferguson emphasized in his remarks Thursday he remains heavily focused on the issues Washingtonians face. "We are dealing with the chaos that is coming down from Washington, D.C., but at the same time, we are going to preserve our values as a state, and importantly, we are going to move forward on the issues that unite us as a state," Ferguson said. Still, Washington lawmakers face a series of challenges from the federal government as the new administration threatens to withhold money from uncooperative jurisdictions. According to Ferguson, approximately $162 million in federal funds allocated to Washington are frozen as of Thursday, with a majority of the funds allocated to the Department of Commerce, though Ferguson added that "things are literally changing daily, if not hourly." "I want to be very clear that we are continuing to fight for those funds," Ferguson said. Funds for a $156 million federal program to expand solar power in the state were frozen Monday, Ferguson said, temporarily unfrozen earlier this week, and refrozen Thursday. Ferguson cited a directive from Attorney General Pam Bondi, which vowed to withhold federal law enforcement funds from sanctuary jurisdictions. In recent days, the Department of Justice has filed lawsuits against Illinois, New York and Chicago. Washington, Ferguson said, receives $58 million annually from the Justice Department, money statewide officials do not believe is at risk as a result of the directive. "Regardless of how many victories we win in court, thanks to the hard work of the Attorney General's Office, we know that the president's efforts to wield federal appropriations as a hammer in order to force Washington to change our values is unlikely to stop anytime soon," Ferguson said. "Fortunately, the 10th amendment protects the rights of states like Washington state to set public policies as long as those policies do not conflict with laws passed by Congress or the constitution." During his first few weeks in office, Ferguson has taken several actions intended to safeguard Washingtonians from the federal administration, which included convening a "family separation rapid response team" to recommend, protect and aid families of undocumented residents ahead of potential mass deportations. Tana Senn, secretary of the Department of Children Youth and Families, the agency that oversees the task force, said it is a "clear message to families across the state, especially of mixed immigration status, that this Washington stands with you." "We will be there to support your children if they find themselves separated due to deportation or detainment," Senn said. Ferguson, who frequently challenged federal policies during Trump's first administration while serving as Washington's attorney general, also sought to quell the concerns of an array of minority groups including undocumented residents. "We will ensure that our government represents all Washingtonians, including those who have been historically marginalized and underrepresented," Ferguson said. Ferguson found a level of commonality with the Trump administration on immigration, saying Washington law does not prohibit the Department of Corrections from sharing information on those convicted of "serious felonies" in their custody with federal immigration authorities. According to Ferguson, he's declined requests to either change the law or order the Department of Corrections to cease cooperation with federal officials. "My direction is that the Department of Corrections continue to lawfully work with federal immigration authorities regarding those individuals," Ferguson said. "It's one thing if the president wants to invest additional resources in deportations against undocumented Washingtonians who commit serious crimes. However, the overwhelming majority of undocumented residents of our state, and every other state for that matter, are decent, hardworking, law-abiding residents who contribute significantly to our economy and our communities." Brown, who joined three other states to challenge Trump's attempt to end birthright citizenship, called the Trump administration's actions in its first few weeks in power "an all-out attack on the rule of law." "My only message to the president of the United States is to follow the law," Brown said. "You are in control of the United States House of Representatives, the United States Senate, you have cabinet directors appointed, and the majority of the Supreme Court has been appointed by Republican presidents. Follow the damn law, it's not that hard." Shortly after Thursday's event concluded, Brown announced that he joined 13 other attorneys general to challenge Trump's "unlawful delegation of executive power" to Musk. The lawsuit, which was filed in Washington, D.C., is led by the New Mexico Department of Justice. In the lawsuit, the states argue that Trump violated the constitution's appointments clause by establishing the Department of Government Efficiency without Congressional approval and selecting Musk to run the department without the consent of the U.S. Senate. In a statement announcing the suit, Brown said Musk had "amassed — or simply taken for himself — unaccountable power to walk into any federal agency, fire people, eliminate programs authorized by Congress, and access confidential personal and national security information without regard for the consequences."
