2020 Press Releases

Page 8 of 18

• 8/10/2020 AG Tong Joins Coalition Challenging Trump Administration’s Unlawful Effort to Bar Immigrants and Foreign Workers

  Attorney General William Tong has joined a coalition of 23 attorneys generals in fighting against the Trump Administration’s continued efforts to curtail legal immigration and temporary work visa programs. In an amicus brief supporting the plaintiffs in Gomez., et al. v. Trump [INSERT HYPERLINK] the coalition calls for an injunction against the enforcement of two executive orders that would suspend large swathes of the nation’s legal immigration system and several of its most important non-immigrant work visa programs. The coalition argues that the participation of immigrants and other foreign-born employees in the workforce is critical to economic development, and that the order will prolong the separation of families.

• 8/10/2020 Attorney General Tong Reminds Consumers and Retailers that Price Gouging is Illegal

  With thousands of Connecticut households still without power in the midst of a global pandemic, Attorney General William Tong reminded consumer and retailers that price gouging is illegal during both civil preparedness and public health emergencies.

• 8/10/2020 Attorney General Tong Moves to Block Trump Effort to Undermine Full, Fair Census Count

  Attorney General William Tong has joined a multistate coalition filing a motion to stop President Donald Trump’s efforts to illegally leave millions of immigrants out of the congressional apportionment base following the conclusion of the 2020 Decennial Census. President Trump last month issued an executive order seeking to exclude undocumented immigrants from the apportionment base-- the latest in the Trump Administration’s illegal maneuvers to manipulate the census count and congressional apportionment.

• 8/7/2020 Attorney General Tong Announces Joint State/Federal Settlement With Bristol Oral Surgeon Over Bills For Nonpermitted Dental Services

  Attorney General William Tong today announced a $149,000 joint state/federal settlement with Bristol oral surgeon Ean James regarding claims he submitted to the state’s Medicaid program for administering anesthesia and conscious sedation services to his patients after his permit had expired.

• 8/6/2020 AG Tong Moves to Intervene in PURA Investigation, Urges PURA to Consider Potential Fines for Failed Storm Response

  Attorney General William Tong today formally requested to intervene in the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority's open investigation of the Eversource and United Illuminating response to Tropical Storm Isaias. The Attorney General is urging PURA to put the company on notice of potential fines and penalties.

• 8/6/2020 AG Tong Statement on State Supreme Court Affirmation of State Absentee Ballot Provisions

  Attorney General William Tong released the following statement after the full Connecticut Supreme Court affirmed the constitutionality of the state’s absentee ballot provisions protecting voters in the August primary during this unprecedented pandemic.

• 8/6/2020 AG Tong, DRS Commissioner John Biello Warn CT Residents: Don't Fall Victim to Illegitimate Mailings

  Attorney General William Tong and Department of Revenue Services Acting Commissioner John Biello are warning Connecticut residents to be wary of mailings that claim to be warrants collecting unpaid tax debt.

• 8/6/2020 AG Tong Announces Settlement with Company that Sent Mailers Resembling Government Forms to Connecticut Businesses

  Attorney General William Tong along with Secretary of the State Denise W. Merrill and Department of Consumer Protection commissioner Michelle Seagull, announced a settlement today with ANS, INC. d/b/a Workplace Compliance Services resolving a case involving allegations of government imposter fraud.

• 8/5/2020 AG Tong Urges Senate to Pass Legislation to Ensure Relief for All Federal Student Loan Borrowers Impacted by Covid-19 Pandemic

  Attorney General William Tong today joined a bipartisan coalition of 28 attorneys general led by Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul and Alaska Attorney General Kevin Clarkson in urging the U.S. Senate to provide relief for all federal student loan borrowers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) currently only covers federal student loans owned by the federal government, excluding nearly 8 million borrowers whose federal student loans are owned by private entities.

• 8/5/2020 AG Tong Fights Against Trump Administration’s Latest Efforts to Block Asylum for Vulnerable Immigrants

  Files friend-of-the-court brief in opposition to unlawful rule that would make it impossible for many immigrants to receive asylum protections

• 8/5/2020 AG Tong Calls on Facebook to Take Stronger Steps to Prevent Use of Its Platforms to Spread Hate and Disinformation

  Attorney General William Tong today joined 19 attorneys general from across the United States in calling on Facebook to take additional steps to prevent their site from being used to spread hate and disinformation. The attorneys general also urged Facebook to provide stronger support for users who fall victim to online intimidation and harassment on its platforms.

• 8/4/2020 AG Tong Joins 20-State Coalition Against Florida's Unlawful Pay-to-Vote System For Formerly Incarcerated Citizens

  Attorneys General Argue Florida Law Restricts Voting Rights to Former Felons Who Have Paid Off All Legal Financial Obligations; Disparately Harms African Americans and Latinx Community

• 8/4/2020 Attorney General Tong Joins Bipartisan Coalition Urging Federal Government to Increase Access and Affordability for Remdesivir

  Attorney General William Tong today joined a bipartisan multistate coalition led by California Attorney General Becerra and Louisiana Attorney General Landry in sending a letter request to U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), urging them to use their legal authority under the Bayh-Dole Act to increase the availability of remdesivir. Remdesivir, a drug manufactured by Gilead Sciences, Inc. (Gilead), has shown promising results in reducing mortality and hospitalization from COVID-19.

• 7/31/2020 AG Tong Demands Answers From Eversource Following Rate Hikes

  Office of the Attorney General Serves Formal Interrogatories as Part of PURA Docket

• 7/30/2020 Attorney General Tong Condemns Blatantly Unlawful Trump Threat to Postpone Election

  Attorney General William Tong issued the following statement regarding President Trump’s blatantly unlawful threat to postpone the November election.