Building a Better, Fairer Future
Dear Residents,
At the time of this writing, the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has claimed over 797 lives across the District and left numerous more residents sick. Tens of thousands have lost work and now struggle to make ends meet. Parents have had to juggle putting food on the table and providing childcare. Computer screens have become temporary classrooms for our students, and an imperfect means to staying connected with our elderly and vulnerable residents.
It has been a year of loneliness, anxiety, uncertainty—and reckoning. While COVID-19 has laid bare the inequities that have long plagued communities of color, an eruption of racist police violence has made it impossible to look away.
Yet over these solemn months, I have watched the District meet this crisis with undeniable discipline, determination, and resilience.
I have seen essential workers—doctors and nurses and EMTs, police and firefighters, delivery drivers and cooks and grocery store workers and many more—dutifully serving the District and its residents, particularly our most vulnerable, despite great personal risk.
I’ve heard the District and the nation find its voice within a multiethnic, multigenerational, and global movement demanding true equality under our nation’s economic, educational, criminal justice, and healthcare systems.
I’ve witnessed our decades-long dream of gaining the full rights of citizenship leap closer to reality, as the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 51, the D.C. statehood bill.
And I’ve discovered hope.
I believe this moment can be our opportunity to build a better, fairer future. And I know the Office of the Attorney General can play a role, just as we have worked to contain this virus’s damage.
We may have been teleworking since March, but our commitment to providing the District with first-class legal services has never wavered. We’ve continued to defend your rights and emergency protections—stopping price gougers, rooting out scams and fraudsters, standing up for tenants in need, and fighting for workers’ health and safety.
We’ve leaned on virtual community outreach and our Cure the Streets violence interruption teams to keep residents informed, safe, fed, and counted in the U.S. Census. We’ve advised and collaborated with the Council and Executive Office of the Mayor on emergency legislation. And we’ve worked with the courts, the Metropolitan Police Department, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to make sure we’re addressing our public health and public safety needs.
All the while, we have filed and settled lawsuits to protect our environment, advanced evidence-based strategies to address racial inequities, taken on discriminatory property managers and neglectful slumlords, and so much more.
2020 has strengthened our resolve to fight for District residents. So if there are ways OAG can better serve you, we want to hear about them. Together, we can chart a path for a future that marks this unparalleled year as the beginning of an extraordinary new era.
Read OAG's 2019-2020 Annual Report and Resource Guide.
Karl A. Racine
Attorney General
COVID-19 updates: oag.dc.gov/coronavirus
Email: oagcommunity@dc.gov
Phone: (202) 727-3400
Fax: (202) 347-8922
TTY: (202) 727-3400
Jan. 5 & 6: Say No to Hate Groups in the District
Several groups—including those that promote hate on a racial and religious basis—will be traveling to D.C. for demonstrations on January 5 and 6. They have expressed intent on engaging in violence and stirring up conflict in the District. OAG is working closely with MPD, the Council, and the Mayor to monitor these demonstrations and will do everything in our power to hold them accountable should they break District laws. We will not tolerate violence. District residents are urged to deny these demonstrators the opportunity to cause chaos. Stay home and avoid these demonstrations to the extent possible.
Read AG Racine's statement on the demonstrations.
Securing $1.5 Million in Relief to DoorDash Delivery Workers
OAG secured a major victory for DoorDash delivery workers in December which resolved allegations that DoorDash misled consumers to believe their tips would increase worker pay, when, in fact, tips benefitted DoorDash. As a part of the settlement, DoorDash is being forced to pay $1.5 million in relief to delivery workers, $750,000 to the District, and donate $250,000 to two District charities. Read more here.
Standing Up for Democracy and the Will of Voters
When Texas Attorney General Paxton sought to overturn election results in four states critical to President-elect Joe Biden’s victory, AG Racine quickly assembled a coalition of 23 Attorneys General to oppose it. Within two days, the U.S. Supreme Court soundly rejected AG Paxton’s frivolous lawsuit, affirming that the court's commitment is to the rule of law, to the democratic process, and to our Constitution – not Donald Trump.
Read AG Racine's statement on the result here.
Watch AG Racine's interview on MSNBC's Morning Joe.
Seeking to End Google and Facebook’s Illegal Monopoly
Competition is an American value, cheating to win is not.
No company, no matter how smart or how large, can retain its dominance through unlawful behavior that hurts consumers, competitors, and our system of fair competition. That's why AG Racine joined two bipartisan coalitions of Attorneys General in filing suit against Google and Facebook to halt this illegal conduct.
Read more about the lawsuit against Facebook here.
Read more about the lawsuit against Google here.
Announcing $146K+ in Relief to District Borrowers Over Mortgage Servicing Failures
AG Racine and a coalition of 50 Attorneys General reached an $86.3 million settlement with Mr. Cooper, a mortgage servicer, resolving allegations that the company violated consumer protection laws while servicing mortgage loans nationwide. In addition to providing restitution to consumers, the company will adopt new servicing standards for mortgage loans and conduct audits to ensure compliance. Read more here.
Congratulating Elizabeth Wilkins on White House Role
President-elect Joe Biden announced that Elizabeth Wilkins, former OAG Chief of Staff, will serve as Senior Advisor to White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain. During her almost five years at OAG, Ms. Wilkins dedicated her service to protect the District’s most vulnerable residents, advance consumer protection and workers’ rights, drive OAG’s leadership on civil rights and multistate issues, and improve the agency’s internal operations. Read more here.
Penalizing Bates Trucking $78K for Unlicensed and Early-Morning Trash Hauling
In a recently announced a settlement with the Maryland-headquartered company Bates Trucking, AG Racine resolved allegations that the company repeatedly violated District noise regulations, operated without a valid license, ignored enforcement notices, and refused to pay thousands of dollars in fines. Read more here.
Stopping the Spread of COVID-19 in the District
In December, AG Racine reached an agreement with Urban Athletic Club to ensure compliance with emergency COVID-19 health and safety requirements. OAG urges District residents to continue following the guidance of medical and public health experts and help stop the spread of COVID-19. Stay home whenever possible, wear a mask, and physically distance from anyone outside of your household. Read more here.