2019 Press Releases

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• 7/24/2019 ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG ISSUES STATEMENT ON TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S ROLLBACK OF CLEAN CAR RULE

• 3/5/2019 CONNECTICUT JOINS 21 STATES IN CHALLENGING NEW TITLE X RESTRICTIONS ON WOMEN’S REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CARE

  Connecticut Attorney General William Tong joined a coalition of 21 state attorneys generals today in a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the new Title X “domestic gag rule.”

• 7/17/2019 ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG JOINS 37 ATTORNEYS GENERAL URGING FDA TO PARTNER WITH STATES TO PROTECT CONSUMERS OF CANNABIS-DERIVED PRODUCTS

  Attorney General William Tong today joined a coalition of 37 state attorneys general urging federal cooperation with the states to protect consumers from false advertising and harms to their health from products containing cannabis or cannabis-derived compounds, including cannabidiol (CBD). In a public comment filed with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the AGs highlight the need for research into the risks and potential benefits of cannabinoid products to inform consumers and assist in state-level regulation. They also encourage the FDA to continue partnering with state consumer protection authorities as it considers guidelines for this emerging market.

• 7/17/2019 ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG AND GOVERNOR LAMONT ANNOUNCE LAWSUIT AGAINST IRS AND SECRETARY MNUCHIN

  Acting to protect Connecticut taxpayers from the harmful effects of the Trump Administration's federal tax overhaul, Attorney General William Tong and Governor Ned Lamont announced today that the State is joining a multistate lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the U.S. Treasury Department.

• 9/24/2019 ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG OPPOSES TRUMP ADMINISTRATION RULE THAT RISKS DEPORTATION OF LAWFUL RESIDENTS

  Attorney General William Tong today joined a coalition of attorneys general in issuing comments formally opposing the Trump Administration’s new rule that vastly expands the use of expedited removal. Under the new rule, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is authorized to deport certain individuals living anywhere in the United States without the due process protections afforded in normal removal proceedings, such as the right to an attorney or a hearing before a judge.

• 9/24/2019 AG TONG JOINS 24 STATE COALITION OPPOSING TRUMP RULE THAT WOULD TAKE FOOD ASSISTANCE AWAY FROM MILLIONS OF PEOPLE

  Attorney General William Tong today joined a coalition of 24 attorneys general opposing the Trump administration’s proposed changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The proposed changes would take basic food assistance away from more than three million people, disqualify hundreds of thousands of children from free school meals, and punish working families with modest savings. The coalition filed a comment letter against a proposed United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) rule that would end states’ ability to set rules for SNAP eligibility based on the unique needs of their communities. The letter argues that the proposed rule would violate federal law and harm the states, their residents, their local economies, and public health.

• 5/22/2019 AG AND DCP URGE CONSUMERS TO USE DRESSBARN GIFT CARDS BEFORE RETAIL OUTLET CLOSES ITS STORES

  Attorney General William Tong and Department of Consumer Protection Commissioner Michelle H. Seagull today advised Connecticut consumers to use any unused gift cards and to make any necessary returns to Dressbarn before the women's clothing chain closes its stores.

• 8/14/2019 ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG TAKES ON FIGHT FOR GUN SAFETY AT U.S. SUPREME COURT

  Attorney General William Tong today joined a multistate coalition fighting to ensure that New York’s independence and sovereignty—along with the rights of all states and municipalities-- are protected in its effort to implement commonsense gun safety regulations. In an amicus brief filed with the U.S. Supreme Court last night, Connecticut joined a coalition of 13 Attorneys General seeking to uphold that the right of states and localities to impose certain types of firearm regulations when they are substantially related to an important government objective, such as the protection of their citizens.

• 2/11/2019 ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG JOINS 31 ATTORNEYS GENERAL IN SIGNING MULTI-STATE LETTER SUPPORTING FTC IDENTITY THEFT RULES

  Attorney General William Tong today joined 31 other attorneys general in sending a letter to the Federal Trade Commission urging the FTC to continue its Identity Theft Rules, which were initially adopted in November 2007.

• 11/22/2019 ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG ARGUES PUBLIC SERVANTS DESERVE PROMISED STUDENT LOAN FORGIVENESS

  Attorney General William Tong joined a coalition of 21 state attorneys general today in filing an amicus brief with the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia in support of public servants who have been denied promised federal student loan debt forgiveness.

• 10/2/2019 ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG ANNOUNCES COURT VICTORY TO COMPEL EPA TO REGULATE INTERSTATE SMOG POLLUTION

• 8/16/2019 ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG JOINS MULTISTATE COALITION OPPOSING TRUMP ADMINISTRATION RULE RESTRICTING ASYLUM ACCESS

  Connecticut Attorney General William Tong today joined a multistate coalition, led by California and Massachusetts, in filing a comment letter opposing the Trump Administration’s attempt to illegally limit access to the asylum process. Under the rule, individuals entering the United States at the southern border, except in limited circumstances, are no longer able to seek asylum unless they applied for and were denied protection in at least one country they transited through prior to their arrival. In a comment letter, the coalition urges the U.S. Departments of Justice and Homeland Security to rescind the policy.

• 9/3/2019 ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG JOINS MULTISTATE COALITION IN SEEKING PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION TO HALT TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S RULE ALLOWING INDEFINITE DETENTION OF CHILDREN

  Attorney General William Tong today joined a coalition of attorneys general, led by California and Massachusetts, in filing a motion for a preliminary injunction to block the Trump Administration’s new rule circumventing the Flores Settlement Agreement, which has governed the treatment of children in immigration custody since 1997.

• 8/26/2019 ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG JOINS LAWSUIT OPPOSING TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S RULE ALLOWING INDEFINITE DETENTION OF CHILDREN

  Attorney General William Tong joined a coalition of attorneys general today, led by California and Massachusetts, in filing a lawsuit opposing the Trump Administration’s effort to subject immigrant children and their families to indefinite detention through a new rule circumventing the Flores Settlement Agreement, which has governed the treatment of children in immigration custody since 1997.

• 7/17/2019 AG TONG, DSS COMMISSIONER GIFFORD, COMPTROLLER LEMBO ANNOUNCE FALSE CLAIMS ACT LAWSUIT AGAINST THERAPY UNLIMITED FOR ALLEGEDLY SUBMITTING FALSE CLAIMS TO CONNECTICUT'S MEDICAID AND STATE HEALTHCARE PROGRAMS

  Attorney General William Tong, Connecticut Department of Social Services Commissioner Deidre S. Gifford, and State Comptroller Kevin Lembo, today announced a lawsuit against Therapy Unlimited, LLC and its owner, Catherine Risigo Wickline, for allegedly engaging in pervasive and illegal schemes to submit false claims to Connecticut's Medicaid program and the state employee/retiree health plan for millions of dollars of reimbursements that they were not entitled to receive.