WA EX: The National Association of Attorneys General recently came under scrutiny for its funding sources. Outside of membership dues paid by state attorneys general, the organization also receives funds from litigation settlements, calling into question the nonprofit status of the organization given that they seem to be operating more like a plaintiff’s law firm.
The American Tort Reform Association has now released a report highlighting these connections and calling for more transparency from the organization. Historically, NAAG played an influential role in managing multistate investigations and lawsuits. But over time, NAAG’s focus has shifted from promoting efficiency and coordination to instead promoting entrepreneurial litigation targeting industries of all sorts.
Over the past few decades, NAAG has played a significant role in some of the most prominent mass tort lawsuits. Its targets have included tobacco manufacturers, and most recently, opioid manufacturers and distributors. NAAG fully participates in settlements reached in these multistate lawsuits, just as individual states and their for-profit, contingency-fee counsel do. This places what once was an independent association in a situation in which it now appears to have profit as an overriding motive when it helps to initiate and settle litigation, just as the trial bar does.
Given that the most recent target of NAAG’s litigation machine has been opioid manufacturers and distributors, it’s important to note that the bad actors must be held accountable for their role in the opioid crisis. But this begs the question: Are these attorneys general targeting the wrong people and companies to benefit the trial bar and their own coffers? For example, in March 2021, NAAG received $15 million as part of McKinsey’s $600 million settlement for the company’s role in marketing opioid prescriptions.
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Aaaaaaaaaaannnnnnd that’s why I call it an industry!
It is no longer a profession!
95% of the lawyers give the rest of ’em a bad name!
Law is the ultimate backstage pass. There are now more students in law schools than lawyers walking the streets!
I remember when this asshole Attorney General in NJ was up for re-election and decided to make a name for himself by going after then-huge Sears, specifically the auto centers. The way they did this was pretty underhanded, in that they did things like spill brake fluid down the back of a master cylinder and complain about brake fade, or disconnect the alternator output and say the car wasn’t charging, things like that. Yes a good mechanic wouldn’t fall for it, but he caught a couple, and litigated on Sears like a ton of bricks. Not hard to get a jury to agree mechanics are theives, so judgement for plaintiff.
And WHAT a judgement. Nationally, Sears was required to refund EVERY brake job done over the course of several months in one year, and they originally couldn’t even ask for a receipt. Word got around, and it was so bad at one point that Metro busses were making a special stop to drop passengers at the freestanding auto center on their way to the mall, where they could join the line that wrapped the large building.
Sears obviously was losing a ton of money and went back to court to get the order modified, and did get the judge to allow them to require receipts. The manager got the word and got on the PA to announce they now needed proof, and after a lot of grumbling and cussing, of that throng only 2 were left.
Some other AG killed Sears’ air conditioning business at the height of everyone being scared of Freon vs. Ozone. At this time it was still possible to use R-12, but all AC mechanics had to go to an ASE class to get a bunny hugger card promising not to pollute, Sears invested HEAVILY in Freon reclamation equipment and short hose segments for gauge sets, things like this, across then HUNDREDS of stores. This AG sent testers to stores in his bailiwick, acting all rushed and trying to get someone to hurry and just connect gauges without the reclamation stuff or the short jesses.
They got a guy to, and BAM! Hundreds of thousand dollar fine, stores in that state ordered closed for six months, guy demonizing Sears nightly…
That was IT for Sears. They ordered us to beat the reclaimers into scrap and throw them in the Dumpster, and never touch an air conditioner again.
Note that no one really gained from this but the AGs. They entrapped a crime and used it as campaign material. So what if they destroyed an industry and lost people who had nothing to do with it their jobs as long as THEY kept THEIRS.
Not impressed with what AGs do, is what I’m saying. They are worse politicians than most politicians, because destroying lives is the ONLY way they make their bones…
SATAN’S ARMY.The so called Pope has a special
“red mass” every year for lawyers & politicians.
The Bushes have attended in the past……
Slimy lawyers?
Who woulda thunk that?
Knock me over widda feddah!
mortem tyrannis
izlamo delenda est …
Loyal Party members? Doing The Party’s work?
Discombobulating! For sure.