It proved too difficult and time-consuming to transcribe NYS Attorney General Eric Schneiderman’s speech from his appearance on Sunday, April 8 in White Plains— the echo in the church was a problem, plus our hero sometimes broke land speed records. If there’s one highlight, it was his description of our current government as a “toxic volcano spewing bad ideas.”
Instead of a record of one speech, here’s a partial scorecard for what Schneiderman and his team are doing to rescue our democracy. By his tally, they’ve tackled 130 matters (both large and small) in one year. A random sampling of last year’s biggies:
Jan. 2017
Healthcare: OAG re-introduced the Comprehensive Contraception Coverage Act of 2017 (CCCA), legislation to protect and expand New Yorkers’ access to free contraception. The CCCA passed the Assembly in mid-January.
Feb. 2017
Ninth Circuit Court upheld the nationwide injunction: Trump’s anti-Muslim executive order is unconstitutional, discriminating against people because of their religion. OAG led a coalition of 18 attorneys general filing an amicus brief.
March 2017
OAG updated its legal guidance to support local governments and law enforcement agencies in protecting immigrant communities, clarifying that Trump’s policies don’t nullify local government’s right to protect immigrant communities by making sanctuary policies into local laws.
April 2017
A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction blocking Trump’s Executive Order on sanctuary cities.
June 2017
Environmental Protection: After Trump’s announcement that the U.S. would withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement, OAG and a coalition of 19 AGs, governors, mayors, business leaders, and universities nationwide (We Are Still In Coalition), pledged to continue fighting climate change and abiding by the agreement.
Environmental Protection – Methane: OAG joined a coalition of 14 AGs in filing a motion to intervene in Clean Air Council v. Pruitt , supporting environmental organizations’ effort to stop the EPA stay of a 2016 EPA rule preventing emissions of thousands of tons of the greenhouse gas methane, smog-forming volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and hazardous air pollutants.
July:
D.C. Circuit Court struck down the EPA stay, saying Pruitt “unlawfully stayed [the leak detection and repair requirements] and other requirements of the rule retroactively from June 2 until August 31, 2017.”
August:
Second Circuit Court upheld New York State’s denial of a water quality certification for the Constitution Pipeline (NYS to Pennsylvania gas pipeline).
Environmental Protection – Ground-level ozone (smog): OAG and a coalition of 16 AGs filed a lawsuit against the EPA and Administrator Scott Pruitt for illegally stalling designation of areas affected by unhealthy levels of smog . EPA reversed itself, ending the illegal delay, but didn’t meet its Oct. 1 deadline. On behalf of 14 AGs, OAG filed notice of intent to sue.
Sept. 2017:
New York Court of Appeals denied Exxon’s request for further review of its claim Texas law allows Exxon to withhold documents responsive to a subpoena issued to its independent auditor, PwC. The court also dismissed Exxon’s motion for a stay pending appeal. PwC must produce all documents the OAG subpoenaed.
Immigration: Fourth Circuit and Ninth Circuit district courts affirmed nationwide preliminary injunctions against enforcement of Trump’s 90-day travel ban for nationals from six Muslim countries, suspension of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, and reduction of the Program’s refugee cap.
Oct. 2017;
Clean Power Plan: Responding to EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt announcing a proposed rule to rescind the CCP, OAG issued a statement that if the EPA repeals the CPP, New York will sue .
Travel Ban 3: OAG’s coalition filed for a temporary restraining order against implementation of the third ban. A Hawaii federal judge blocked the third ban.
ACA Rollback — CSR Rescission: 19 Attorneys General filed a multi-state lawsuit in California to defend health care subsidies, responding to Trump administration’s decision to end Affordable Care Act cost-sharing reduction payments, which reduce copayments, deductibles, and other out-of-pocket costs for low-income Americans.
Nov. 2017:
OAG created a webpage for people to search whether their identities were misused to file public comments with the FCC regarding net neutrality rules.
Dec. 2017:
OAG announced he’ll lead a multi-state lawsuit to stop rollback of net neutrality rules protecting a free and open internet.
On a local level, here are some random 2018 victories:
OAG has busted a dog-fighting ring, cocaine traffickers, a woman scamming churches in Buffalo, money launderers, Medicaid fraudsters, a waste management company for collusion in price fixing, a construction company for bid-rigging, and Liberty Power for deceiving customers.
The fights (lots of them) continue.
Have you ever competed in team sports at camp? Then you might want to chant along with this oldie:
“Schneiderman, Schneiderman, he’s our man–
If he can’t do it, no one can!”