Newsroom

Know Exceptional D.C. Youth?

In 2015, I established the Right Direction Awards as an annual celebration to honor District youth who have overcome significant challenges and are positively affecting our community. Now approaching its 5th annual celebration, the Right Direction Awards has celebrated nearly 150 inspiring young people in the District.

The theme for this year’s awards ceremony is “Real Influencers of D.C.” We picked this theme because just like social media “influencers” can affect decision making for their followers, we wish to celebrate youth who are a positive influence in their communities. Through July 9, we are asking the D.C. community to help us identify those exceptional young people and nominate them for a Right Direction Award. If you know a young person in the District who should be recognized for overcoming challenges and being a positive role model, nominate them by using the form linked below:

Nominate an inspiring young person for a Right Direction Award

I’d also like to invite District residents to save the date for our Right Direction Awards. Just as important as nominating deserving youth for this award is showing up and demonstrating that their community is proud of their accomplishments.

Right Direction Awards
Thursday, August 8, 2019
Doors open at 6:00 p.m.; Program beings at 6:30 p.m.
FREE
Old Council Chambers (441 4th Street NW)
RSVP to attend

Hope to see you on August 8 at the 5th Annual Right Direction Awards!

Karl A. Racine
Attorney General 

Provide Feedback to OAG on Important Community Matters

This summer, there are several ways to speak in-person with OAG representatives and provide feedback on matters important to District residents:

• June 29 – Final Community Forum on Rayful Edmond Resentencing: OAG’s final public forum to gather community feedback about whether a federal judge should reduce the sentence of Rayful Edmond will take place on Saturday, June 29, at 1:00pm at the Frank D. Reeves Center (2000 14th Street NW). Click to learn more and to RSVP.
• July - Civil Rights Listening Sessions: Have you experienced discrimination in the District or have certain civil rights issues that matter to you? As OAG prepares to expand its civil rights work on behalf of District residents, we are inviting community members to share their experiences and provide input to help us develop priorities and initiatives. Click to learn more and to RSVP.

Fighting to Protect the Health and Safety of Tenants and Neighborhoods in Wards 5, 8

This week, AG Racine announced three new lawsuits against neglectful building owners in Wards 5 and 8 for endangering the health and safety of District residents. OAG sued the owners of an Ivy City apartment complex in Ward 5 for forcing residents to live with mold, vermin infestations, and a lack of fire safety systems. OAG also sued the owners and managers of a shopping center and gas station in Ward 8 with a history of persistent gun violence and drug activity. With these lawsuits, OAG is seeking court orders to ensure the building owners make necessary building repairs and security improvements like adequate lighting and security cameras; penalties for violating District law; and restitution for the Ward 5 tenants who were harmed. Learn more.

Facebook Attempts to Block OAG Lawsuit Over Failing to Protect User Data

Last month, a judge denied Facebook’s attempt to stop OAG’s lawsuit that seeks to hold the company accountable for failing to protect the personal data of nearly half of D.C. residents. In a second attempt to block OAG’s lawsuit, Facebook is now seeking a mid-case appeal. OAG is confident the court got it right in May and will again deny their request and allow our case to proceed. This lawsuit seeks an injunction to ensure Facebook puts safeguards in place to monitor users’ data and to make it easier to control privacy settings. District consumers should follow these steps to protect their personal information when using social media platforms like Facebook.

Cracking Down on Residency Fraud at D.C. Schools

OAG continues to crack down on residency fraud with six new lawsuits against Maryland parents seeking over $320,000 in unpaid tuition, damages, and fines. OAG has devoted additional resources, attorneys and investigators to stop this fraud where out-of-state parents falsify District residency to avoid paying non-resident tuition and send their kids to D.C. schools for free. Parents with questions about the non-resident tuition enforcement process can find answers here. You can also report residency fraud to OAG by emailing oag@dc.gov or to the District’s Office of the State Superintendent of Education by calling (202) 719-6500 or submitting a tip online.

Blocking T-Mobile and Sprint Megamerger

AG Racine filed a lawsuit along with nine other states to stop the T-Mobile and Sprint megamerger. This merger would mean less competition and lead to higher prices and lower quality wireless service for all District consumers, not just those who use T-Mobile and Sprint. Since 2009, the average cost of mobile service fell by approximately 28 percent, but this merger would end this competition that has helped consumers. With the average U.S. household paying $1100 per year on services, even a small increase would hurt families, especially those with lower incomes. Learn more.

Holding Opioid Manufacturer Accountable for Misleading Public in Pursuit of Profits

In response to the opioid epidemic that has plagued the nation and District residents, AG Racine took legal action against Purdue Pharma and its former top executive Richard Sackler for misleading patients, doctors, and communities in pursuit of massive profits from opioid sales. OAG alleges Purdue broke the law and harmed District residents by falsely claiming opioids aren't addictive and safer than over-the-counter pain medicines; pushing doctors to prescribe opioids for longer periods at higher doses; and falsely claiming signs of addiction can be treated with more opioids. Purdue recklessly and unlawfully promoted dangerous drugs and endangered District residents. AG Racine filed suit now to hold Purdue and Sackler accountable. Learn more about OAG’s lawsuit.

Automatic Debt Forgiveness for ITT Students

If you’re a former ITT Tech student in the District, you may be eligible for automatic student loan debt forgiveness as part of a 44-state settlement announced last week. In the settlement, Student CU Connect CUSO, LLC, which offered loans to finance students’ tuition at the failed for-profit college ITT Tech, is required to provide more than $330,000 in debt relief to District students. This debt relief will help hard-working District residents who were saddled with student loans from a defunct school that engaged in abusive lending practices. Learn more.