At the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia (OAG), we’re committed to protecting the rights of District workers and ensuring that businesses compete on a level playing field.
Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb today announced the filing of a housing discrimination lawsuit seeking to enforce new protections for DC tenants that went into effect in 2022. In a lawsuit filed against two local real estate companies—Bailey Real Estate Holdings, LLC and 1537 Gales Street NE, LLC—and two individuals who operate those companies, the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) asserts that the defendants illegally discriminated against voucher holders based on their prior payment history and sealed eviction records, and illegally stated a preference for certain types of vouchers over others. The lawsuit also claims that the defendants illegally refused to accept housing vouchers at some properties, falsely telling prospective tenants with vouchers that apartments were unavailable. With this suit, OAG is seeking a court order to stop the discrimination, as well as civil penalties and other costs.
At the Office of Attorney General, we stand up for people’s rights, including their rights to access health care and to peacefully protest.
Attorney General Karl A. Racine today led a coalition of 18 Attorneys General in again opposing Florida’s discriminatory “Don’t Say Gay” law, which prevents classroom discussion of sexual orientation or gender identity, posing a serious threat to LGBTQ+ students who are particularly vulnerable to the harms caused by discrimination.
Attorney General Karl A. Racine today released a new, comprehensive report highlighting the breadth of work of the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) over the past eight years.
Attorney General Karl A. Racine today announced a new lawsuit against the Washington Commanders, team owner Dan Snyder, the National Football League (NFL), and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell for colluding to deceive District residents—Commanders’ core fans—about an investigation into toxic workplace culture and allegations of sexual assault to maintain a strong fanbase and increase profits.
Attorney General Karl Racine today announced a settlement requiring three real estate firms—DARO Management Services, DARO Realty, and Infinity Real Estate—and several individual defendants to pay a landmark $10 million in penalties for illegally discriminating against renters in the District who use Section 8 housing vouchers and other forms of housing assistance. This is the largest civil penalty in a housing discrimination case in U.S. history.
Statement of Vikram Swaruup, Chief Deputy Attorney General
Attorney General Karl A. Racine today issued the following statement on the White House’s new Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights that incorporates much of his landmark legislation that would modernize civil rights laws by prohibiting discrimination through the use of automated decision-making tools, known as algorithms, that impact residents’ everyday lives.
Statement of Karl A. Racine, Attorney General, Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia
