2020 Press Releases

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• 9/1/2020 Attorney General Tong Joins Fight Against Trump Administration’s Attempts to Undermine Accurate Census Count

  Attorney General William Tong today joined a large, coalition of attorneys general, cities, counties, and the bipartisan U.S. Conference of Mayors in taking legal action against the Trump Administration’s efforts to undermine the 2020 Decennial Census.

• 8/28/2020 Attorney General Tong Challenges Trump Administration Rule Curtailing Environmental Review of Federal Actions

  Attorney General William Tong joined a multistate lawsuit filed today challenging the Trump Administration’s unlawful final rule curtailing requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) that federal agencies review and assess the impact of their actions on the environment. The final rule also limits public participation in the review process, robbing vulnerable communities of the opportunity to make their voices heard on actions that are likely to have adverse environmental and health impacts. In the lawsuit, the coalition argues that the final rule abandons informed decision making, public participation, and environmental and public health protections in violation of the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) and NEPA.

• 8/28/2020 Judge Grants Expedited Discovery in Postal Service Suit

  A federal judge in Washington has granted a multistate motion for expedited discovery, giving the Trump administration 10 days to produce records in the challenge seeking to block and reverse drastic operational changes at the U.S. Postal Service.

• 8/28/2020 Attorney General Tong Continues Fight to Protect Dreamers from Trump Administration’s Unlawful and Cruel Policies

  Attorney General William Tong today joined a coalition of 17 attorneys general from around the nation in continuing the fight against the Trump Administration’s efforts to eliminate DACA and threaten Dreamers with deportation.

• 8/26/2020 AG Tong Joins 23 States in Supreme Court Brief Defending Nondiscrimination Laws and the Rights of Same-Sex Couples to be Foster Parents

  Attorney General William Tong today joined 23 attorneys general in filing an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in support of the City of Philadelphia’s nondiscrimination law and the right of same-sex couples to be foster parents.

• 8/25/2020 Attorney General Tong Announces $85 Million Multistate Settlement with American Honda Motor Company, Inc. and Honda of America Mfg., Inc.

  Attorney General William Tong today announced that Connecticut has helped secure a more that $85 million multistate settlement with American Honda Motor Co., Inc. and Honda of America Mfg., Inc. (collectively “Honda”), over allegations Honda concealed safety issues related to defects in the frontal airbag systems installed in certain Honda and Acura vehicles sold in the United States. The systems were designed and manufactured by Takata Corporation, a long-time Honda supplier, and were first installed in Honda vehicles in the 2001 model year.

• 8/24/2020 AG Tong Calls On Eversource to Forgo 2021 Rate Hike

  In video testimony submitted to the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority today, Attorney General William Tong called on Eversource to forgo its planned 2021 rate hike request and commit to real cost saving measures for consumers. The comments were submitted as part of PURA’s hearing and investigation into the “unjustifiable and unsustainable” delivery charge hike that contributed to major increases in electricity bills in the midst of a global pandemic and unusually hot summer. In addition to this summer’s delivery charge hike, Eversource plans to ask PURA for a rate hike in mid-2021.

• 8/20/2020 Attorney General Tong Warns Healthcare Providers Could be Violating the Unfair Trade Practices Act by Charging Consumers for Personal Protective Measures

  Attorney General William Tong is alerting consumers to surcharges by healthcare providers that may violate the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act. Healthcare providers are strongly encouraged, if not required, to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) and to require that their patients do so, too. However, some providers may be improperly charging patients for the additional PPE or other COVID-19 control measures.

• 8/18/2020 Attorney General Tong, State Attorneys General to Sue Trump Administration Over Attempts to Undermine Postal Service

  Attorney General William Tong announced that Connecticut is joining a multistate coalition that will file a federal lawsuit today challenging drastic operational changes at the U.S. Postal Service that threaten critical mail delivery ahead of the November election.

• 8/14/2020 AG Tong Statement on Trump Efforts to Undermine Postal Service and Block Voting

  Attorney General William Tong issued the following statement regarding President Donald Trump’s stunning admission this week that his ongoing efforts to gut the U.S. Postal Service are directly aimed at hindering voting in the November election.

• 8/14/2020 PURA Grants AG Tong Motion and Will Hold Trial-Like Contested Case and Review of Eversource and UI Storm Response

  Attorney General William Tong released the following statement after the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority granted his motion to open a “trial-like” proceeding to hold Eversource and United Illuminating accountable for their failed storm response.

• 8/13/2020 AG Tong Joins Coalition of Attorneys General in Opposition to IRS Proposed Rule to Undermine the ACA

  Rule seeks to expand non-ACA compliant healthcare by allowing healthcare sharing ministries as coverage

• 8/12/2020 AG Tong Urges Eversource And UI To Reimburse Consumers For Cost Of Lost Food And Prescriptions

  Attorney General William Tong today urged Eversource and United Illuminating to do the right thing and immediately reimburse consumers for lost food and prescriptions using shareholder, not ratepayer funds.

• 8/11/2020 AG Tong Escalates Legal Actions to Hold Eversource and UI Accountable for Failed Storm Response

  In a series of motions filed Tuesday, Attorney General William Tong escalated his legal actions to hold Eversource and United Illuminating accountable for their failed storm response. In a motion before the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority – which by law serves as the principal regulator and legal forum in which to make claims against the utilities – Attorney General Tong demanded once again that PURA open a contested case and prudence review-- legal proceedings which would enable the Attorney General to make the strongest claims on behalf of ratepayers and the state; seek fines, penalties and injunctive relief; and oppose the utilities’ requests for profits and reimbursement of storm-related costs. Failure by PURA to do so at the onset of the investigation could “set the stage for an endless series of related proceedings taking years to reach conclusion,” Attorney General Tong cautioned.

• 8/10/2020 AG Tong Warns Connecticut Residents to be on Alert for Tree Removal, Power Restoration Scams in the Wake of Last Week’s Storm

  Attorney General William Tong today warned Connecticut residents to be on alert for tree removal, power restoration or other repair scams in areas still without power or where heavy damage resulted from Tropical Storm Isaias.