"Alaska has been fortunate in that its crime rates have been trending downward for a number of years now. And I attribute a lot of that to the efforts of this administration and the support of the state legislature for funding additional resources toward public safety... And I really give a lot of credit to the new Attorney General Steve Cox. He came in and said 'This is something I want to do something about.' It was something he had seen in his own life, being here in Anchorage, and he said this is something he wanted to work on." -John Skidmore, Senior Litigation Counsel at the Department of Law, speaking with 'Talk of Alaska' (@alaskapublic ) on the new Quality of Life initiative in Anchorage. Listen here: alaskapublic.org/programs/ta…

Thanks for the look, @ewess92. And grateful to @RickGarnett at @NDLaw and Savannah Shoffner for some serious originalist work on an issue that’s been stirring real concern here in Alaska. Originalism tends to center on the U.S. Constitution, but it’s also a useful lens for state constitutions too. Great to see this work featured by @HarvardJLPP Per Curiam.  Read more here: journals.law.harvard.edu/jlp…  and thealaskastory.com/attorney-…

Good to see the @FTC stepping in on deceptive auto pricing.  We just wrapped a case in Alaska against Swickard—bait-and-switch pricing, hidden add-ons, cars advertised but not actually available. Alaskans already pay inflated prices. They shouldn’t have to fight the price tag too. Thanks to @AFergusonFTC for reinforcing these consumer protection issues nationally.

Car dealers don’t get to advertise one price and charge another—or advertise cars that aren’t really there. That’s a bait-and-switch, and it’s unlawful. Alaskans already face higher costs than most—this settlement holds Swickard accountable and reinforces that the price you see should be the price you pay. law.alaska.gov/press/release…

Alaska is known around the world for its gold—our mines, our mineral deposits, the history behind them. When a business tells visitors that gold was mined here, people believe it. If that’s not true, it’s taking advantage of visitors—and trading on Alaska’s name in the process. Enforcing our consumer protection laws here protects tourists, and it backs up the many honest Alaska businesses that are doing it right. law.alaska.gov/press/release…

GoFundMe created 5,000 fundraising pages for Alaska nonprofits without their consent—a violation of Alaska law. Leaving aside the irony given how some user-created pages have reportedly been restricted, a platform raising money in a charity’s name without permission is unacceptable. GFM and other platforms did this to over 1 million nonprofits outside Alaska, and we’d welcome other States joining the effort to push back.

Giving to charity—whether it’s time, treasure, or talent—can be one of the most noble things a person does. Alaskans are generous people. But generosity depends on trust. GoFundMe and similar platforms used nonprofits’ good names to solicit donations without coordinating with the organizations actually doing the charitable work. That means some Alaskans may have donated thinking they were supporting a specific charity, when the charity never authorized the page and may never have received the donation—or may have received less than donors intended because of fees. Alaska law is clear: if you’re going to raise money in a charity’s name, you must first get the charity’s consent. These lawsuits are about protecting donors, protecting nonprofits, and preserving the public trust that makes charitable giving possible. facebook.com/share/p/1DeTSLh…

Flavored disposable vapes and nicotine pouches found in convenience stores, smoke shops, and grocery stores around Alaska are largely manufactured and imported illegally into the United States from China. The companies that manufacture these products have not undergone the FDA-mandated marketing order process, so they cannot be sold in our State. law.alaska.gov/press/release…

Streaming now dominates how consumers watch film, television, and sometimes the news. When one company moves to consolidate streaming-platform control with studio production power, that risks vertical consolidation on a massive scale— and it could mean higher prices, fewer choices, and less innovation for Alaskans who already face limited options. The Department of Justice has the responsibility to review mergers like this, and we are insisting on a hard look. facebook.com/share/p/1DpLKfx… #WeAreAKLaw

Big news for Alaska: Thanks to @SecretaryBurgum, the U.S. Department of the Interior is opening 2.1 million acres in the Dalton Corridor for state selections and responsible development.  This is exactly the kind of outcome envisioned when @GovDunleavy announced the Statehood Defense Initiative. Not every fight ends in court. Sometimes it’s long conversations, joint planning, and sustained engagement with our federal counterparts. This win shows how Alaska defends its interests—on all fronts. gov.alaska.gov/governor-dunl…

Robert Duvall is a gem. Real presence. Salt of the earth. I loved him in Tender Mercies — a broken man, with redemption, singing “On the Wings of a Dove.,” And in A Civil Action, as Hale & Dorr litigator Jerry Facher: “The single greatest liability a lawyer can have is pride.” Of course, most people remember him as Gus McCrae on Lonesome Dove: “I doubt it matters where you die, but it matters where you live.” I live in Alaska. Rest in peace, Robert Duvall.