Newsroom

Hello DC Neighbors,

Bad actors and scammers are targeting DC residents with the least financial resources, hitting them with hidden fees, high-interest loans, or even higher costs for services. This makes my blood boil—especially when companies are making a calculated choice to go after residents who can’t fight back.

OAG is standing up for these DC residents most at-risk of financial exploitation, scams, and predatory lending. We sued Liberty Tax for stealing money from hardworking DC residents. We sued predatory lenders Elevate and Opportunity Financial for charging exorbitant interest rates. And we pressed banks to get rid of overdraft fees.

Read all about my office’s work to stand up for residents from financial exploitation in my new Medium post.

Thank you,

Karl Racine

Attorney General

Haitian Immigrants Deserve Protected Status

The conditions in Haiti have substantially deteriorated. Extreme gang violence (including murder, kidnapping, and rape), civil unrest, and deteriorating health and infrastructure challenges continue to worsen in Haiti, making any return unsafe.

While Haitians who arrived in the United States prior to August 2021 were granted Temporary Protective Status, those arriving after that date were not. Along with Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, a fellow Haitian-American, I urged the Department of Homeland Security to redesignate Haiti for TPS and protect Haitian U.S. residents who arrived after August 2021.

Standing Up for 21st Century Data Protections

We know that companies are tracking consumers and profiting from their data now more than ever before. This surveillance can be extremely intrusive, and it can put sensitive, personal information at risk. I’m pushing for data protections to give consumers security and peace of mind.

With the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade this summer, protecting reproductive health data is especially urgent. That’s why I urged Apple to hold Apps on its store to the same high standard of data security for patients seeking abortion care that it promises on its own products.

In addition, I recently sent a letter urging the FTC to create extra protections for consumers’ location data, biometric data, and medical data. Finally, I moderated a discussion at the New York Times Dealbook Summit earlier this week about data privacy issues like these, and discussed how my office is seeking to end algorithmic discrimination in DC.

Our Lawsuit Against January 6 Insurrectionists is Gaining Support

Last year, my office sued the Proud Boys, Oath Keepers, and dozens of members of from these groups for the violence and extensive damage they caused to the District, our democracy, and the brave men and women of the DC Metropolitan Police Department during the insurrection on January 6, 2021.

In addition to our lawsuits, many of these individuals were criminally charged by the US Department of Justice (DOJ). This week, Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes’ and four others were convicted, which now means fourteen of our defendants have been convicted for various charges related to the insurrection. We look forward to continuing our case with this mounting evidence.