Statement of Karl A. Racine, Attorney General, Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia

Attorney General Karl A. Racine today will participate in a hearing before the Council of the District of Columbia to advocate that the Council pass 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.

Attorney General Karl A. Racine today announced that Polygon Holdings will pay $300,000 to settle allegations that they deployed discriminatory practices known as “blockbusting” – methods rarely used in the last half-century due to their obviously prejudicial nature – to force a District resident to sell her home so they could flip it for profit. 

Labor Day was created in the late 19th century—at a time when workers were often taken advantage of, not paid enough, and overworked. Many of them faced unsafe working conditions.

Last week, we won a major victory for District residents and public safety: a court permanently banned ghost gun manufacturer Polymer80 from selling untraceable firearms and build-at-home gun kits to DC residents. And the court ordered Polymer80 to pay $4 million in penalties—the maximum allowable penalties—for breaking District law.

 Attorney General Karl A. Racine today led a coalition of 15 attorneys general in filing a friend of the court brief supporting nonprofit organization, Community Success Initiative’s, challenge to North Carolina’s discriminatory law that would restrict the voting rights of returning citizens.  

District of Columbia Attorney General Karl A. Racine and New York Attorney General Letitia James co-led a group of 17 attorneys general opposing Florida’s discriminatory law that would make it more difficult for millions of Floridians—especially the elderly, disabled, and communities of color—to vote. 

Last Thursday, I joined AARP DC State Director Louis Davis, Jr. and more than a hundred DC residents for a conversation about how our office prioritizes combatting exploitation of older District residents, how to help protect our older neighbors from financial abuse and scams, and how we can support our older relatives so they can live their golden years with dignity and security.

Attorney General Karl A. Racine today led a coalition of 16 Attorneys General in opposing Florida’s recently enacted and 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 led a coalition of 21 attorneys general urging the Supreme Court not to undo four decades of legal precedent that protects the voting power of minority communities.