2019 Press Releases

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• 9/19/2019 AG TONG TO TRUMP ADMINISTRATION: FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH BIRTH CONTROL REFUSAL INJUNCTION IS ILLEGAL

  Attorney General William Tong today joined a coalition of 15 attorneys general urging the Trump Administration to immediately comply with the court-ordered injunction in California v.Azar. Connecticut joined a coalition led by California earlier this year in securing an injunction to block the Trump Administration’s attempt to strip access to cost-free birth control coverage under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). A similar injunction was also secured by Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro. Despite the clear injunction from the court, the Trump Administration has yet to update its website and inform the public about the injunction and its impact on their contraceptive coverage.

• 4/17/2019 ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG, CONSUMER COUNSEL KATZ SUPPORT BAN OF “AUTO-RENEWALS” IN THIRD-PARTY ELECTRIC SUPPLIER CONTRACTS

  Attorney General William Tong and Consumer Counsel Elin Swanson Katz today urged legislators to pass the comprehensive suite of protections for existing and prospective customers of third-party electric suppliers in House Bill No. 7155, An Act Concerning Consumer Protections for Customers of Electric Suppliers, including a proposed ban of so-called “auto-renewals” of third-party supplier contracts with residential consumers.

• 8/20/2019 ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG SUES TRUMP ADMINISTRATION OVER PUBLIC CHARGE RULE

  Attorney General William Tong today joined the states of New York, Vermont and the City of New York in suing the Trump Administration over its Public Charge rule that seeks to deny green cards and visas to immigrants that have used or are deemed likely to use government assistance programs. Such a rule would cause immediate and long-term harm to public health and our economy, with particular harm to communities of color.

• 11/15/2019 ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG FILES MOTION FOR CONTEMPT AGAINST WEST HAVEN ASBESTOS REMOVAL BUSINESS OWNER

  Attorney General William Tong today filed a motion for contempt against James Pero, the owner of a West Haven asbestos removal business who, for years, has maintained his property at 18 Helm Street as an illegal asbestos transfer station. Besides the trailers and containers full of asbestos, the site is strewn with other waste, including used tires and oil drums.

• 10/11/2019 PUBLIC CHARGE WIN: COURT ISSUES NATIONWIDE INJUNCTION AGAINST RULE—ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG, GOVERNOR LAMONT ISSUE STATEMENTS

  Attorney General William Tong and Governor Ned Lamont released the following statements today after a federal judge in New York issued a nationwide injunction blocking implementation of the Trump administration’s new Public Charge Rule.

• 4/19/2019 ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG JOINS COALITION CALLING ON EPA TO WITHDRAW PROPOSAL TO UNDERMINE MERCURY AND AIR TOXICS STANDARDS

  Attorney General William Tong joined a coalition of 26 states, counties, and cities in calling on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to withdraw its unlawful proposal to reverse the agency’s determination—first made nearly 20 years ago—that it is “appropriate and necessary” under the federal Clean Air Act to regulate mercury and other toxic air pollution from coal plants.

• 12/5/2019 ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG STATEMENT REGARDING SANDY HOOK WORKER'S ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

• 6/18/2019 ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG ASKS CONGRESS TO TAKE ACTION TO PROTECT INTEGRITY OF AMERICA’S ELECTIONS

  (Hartford, CT) — In expressing his “significant concern regarding the persistent threats to our election systems,” Attorney General Tong today joined a total 22 attorneys general from around the country to ask Congress to take action to protect the integrity of America’s elections.

• 10/11/2019 CONNECTICUT SUES FEDERAL IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT TO PROTECT LEGITIMACY OF CONNECTICUT PARDONS

  Attorney General William Tong announced today that the State of Connecticut has sued the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Department of Justice in U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut, seeking a declaratory judgment that the federal government must honor and respect Connecticut's pardons as sufficient to waive deportation under the Pardon Waiver Clause of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). The lawsuit explains that federal agencies have singled-out Connecticut for unfair and prejudicial treatment by refusing to recognize our pardons.

• 10/8/2019 ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG, NAUGATUCK MAYOR ANNOUNCE $7,000 FINE IN ILLEGAL DUMPING OF USED COOKING OIL IN NAUGATUCK

  Attorney General William Tong and Naugatuck Mayor N. Warren "Pete" Hess announced today the Office of the Attorney General has secured a $7,000 fine from the owner of a box truck involved in illegal dumping of stolen used cooking oil in Naugatuck. This is a significant fine that resolves the seizure of this vehicle that was used in violation of environmental laws. The money will be used to combat illegal dumping and blight in Naugatuck.

• 10/17/2019 ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG, DEPARTMENT OF CONSUMER PROTECTION ANNOUNCE $116.9 MILLION MULTISTATE SETTLEMENT WITH JOHNSON & JOHNSON, ETHICON, INC.

  Attorney General William Tong and Consumer Protection Commissioner Michelle H. Seagull today announced a multistate settlement along with 40 states and the District of Columbia requiring Johnson & Johnson and its subsidiary Ethicon, Inc. to pay nearly $116.9 million for their deceptive marketing of transvaginal surgical mesh devices.

• 2/11/2019 ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG GIVES TESTIMONY IN SUPPORT OF HOUSE BILL 7070

  Attorney General William Tong gave public testimony today in support of House Bill 7070, "An Act Concerning Deceptive Advertising Practices of Limited Services Pregnancy Centers," which seeks to protect women's health by prohibiting limited services pregnancy centers from engaging in false and misleading advertising.

• 7/30/2019 ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG AND COMMISSIONER SEAGULL ANNOUNCE INVESTIGATION INTO JUUL LABS

  Attorney General William Tong and Consumer Protection Commissioner Michelle H. Seagull have opened an investigation into JUUL Labs, Inc. regarding health claims made by the company.

• 10/18/2019 ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG OPPOSES EFFORT TO UNDERMINE ENERGY EFFICIENCY STANDARDS FOR DISHWASHERS

  ttorney General William Tong joined 13 attorneys general and the City of New York in calling on the Department of Energy (DOE) to withdraw its proposed rule to undermine current energy efficiency standards for residential dishwashers. The proposed rule, issued at the request of the Competitive Enterprise Institute, attempts to carve out a class of dishwashers from energy efficiency standards by creating a new, unnecessary category of dishwashers defined only by shorter cycle times. Attorney General Tong and the coalition assert that the proposal is unlawful, hurts consumers and the environment, and is not supported by any factual need.

• 10/21/2019 ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG OPPOSES EFFORT TO UNDERMINE PROTECTIONS AGAINST HOUSING DISCRIMINATION

  Attorney General William Tong today joined a coalition of 22 attorneys general opposing a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) proposal that would undermine key existing protections against housing discrimination in federal law.