LINK SOURCE: AG OFFICE
OLYMPIA — Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced that he is pursuing funding from the Legislature to establish an Organized Retail Crime Unit in his office.
Organized Retail Crime involves a group of individuals that steal products not for their own personal use, but to resell them for a profit. This does not include general retail crimes like petty theft, shoplifting or poverty-driven crimes.
Ferguson convened an Organized Retail Crime Task Force this year to improve coordination and collaboration among law enforcement agencies to address these multi-jurisdictional crimes that endanger employees and cause significant economic harm to our state. The Task Force is focused on sophisticated, organized crime rings that account for almost $70 billion in retail losses across the country. More than 100 individuals attended the first Task Force meeting, including retailers, workers, small business owners and state, local and federal law enforcement. A consistent message at the meeting was the need for additional resources to address these sophisticated crimes.
The Organized Retail Crimes Unit will be able to assist with investigations — including coordinating them across multiple jurisdictions — and deploy resources where they are most needed. The unit will also be able to prosecute cases referred the office by county prosecutors. Without such a referral, the Attorney General’s Office has no jurisdiction over criminal matters.
“Washington law enforcement agencies have limited resources to tackle these sophisticated crimes,” Ferguson said. “A modest investment in a centralized statewide organized retail crimes unit will hold criminals accountable and deter crimes which cause significant economic harm to our state.”
“As the retail industry continues to recover from the pandemic, there has never been a more critical time in Washington state to address the growing impacts of organized retail crime on public safety and the safety of our customers and retail employees,” said Renée Sunde, president and CEO of the Washington Retail Association. “Funding the unit is an important part of a multi-pronged approach to coordinate the efforts of state and local law enforcement, prosecutors, retailers and policymakers at multiple agencies and levels of government.”
“Organized retail crime harms workers in communities across our state,” said Faye Guenther, president of UFCW 3000. “A centralized unit in the Attorney General’s Office focused on combating this problem will improve the lives of Washingtonians.”
UFCW 3000 is the largest UFCW local union in the country with over 50,000 members working in grocery, retail, health care, meat packing, cannabis and other industries across Washington state, northeast Oregon and northern Idaho.
To fund the 10 full-time positions, the Attorney General’s Office is asking for approximately $1.5 million per year.
Nine other states have a task force dedicated to organized retail crime. Multiple states recently established similar units in their state attorney general’s office, including Arizona and Michigan.
IN OTHER STATE NEWS:
Free at-home COVID-19 tests available through the end of the year--DOH
The 2022 recipients of the BJA Innovating Justice Awards include:
"Clallam County Superior Court Commissioner Brandon Mack, for establishing two specialized new family/dependency court calendars — one focused on families who fall under the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), and the second focused on families with infants or toddlers. “Commissioner Mack recognized the role that the court could play not just in enforcing the law, but also in mentoring the participants, teaching about and encouraging application of correct standards, and ensuring that the rights of Native families were protected,” wrote the Clallam County Superior Court judges who nominated him. “At the same time, he also recognized the benefits that would come from dedicating more time and effort to cases involving infants and toddlers. Like ICWA cases, he understood that part of the solution was finding the time to actually do what the law envisions.” Commissioner Mack and the Court Improvement Team (CIT) worked closely with local tribes to address challenges and develop consensus, and ensure tribal leadership is involved in the process. “The ICWA Court is working to change the culture for how Native families interact with the court system,” the judges wrote. Mack and the Court Improvement Team also recognized the special needs of families in dependency court who have babies and toddlers up to 3 years old. “Many people have excellent ideas on how to improve the courts’ response to challenges. Undertaking the hard work to bring a vision to reality takes committed effort over a prolonged period of time,” the judges wrote. “Commissioner Mack and the CIT have embodied that effort.”
Test results, released on Nov. 23 for razor clams, indicate domoic acid levels on all beaches, have exceeded the health guidelines for safe consumption set by Washington Department of Health (WDOH) officials.
(2) NEWS FROM OUR CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION TO DC
Cantwell to Young Women Pursuing Leadership Roles: “Our Nation Needs You … Don’t Hesitate to Think That You Can Lead"
LINK SOURCE: Sen. CANTWELL OFFICE
Sen. Cantwell joins Rep. Cathy McMorris-Rodgers, Astronaut Anne McClain on panel about women in leadership
SPOKANE, WA – On Monday, November 21, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell, Chair of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, joined a prestigious panel of Washington state women for a discussion of women in leadership at a ceremony celebrating the Spokane Spokesman-Review’s 2022 Women of the Year.
Sen. Cantwell called on the young women in the audience to “step out, step up, and solve a problem.”
“I’m asking all of you young women who are here tonight: Our nation needs you. You have something to offer … seize the day. … Don’t hesitate to think that you can lead, that you have good ideas, and that you can help our society move forward in the future. We’re counting on you.”
Sen. Cantwell, the first woman to chair the Commerce Committee, was joined by Rep. Cathy McMorris-Rodgers (R-WA), the first woman to hold a leadership role on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and by Spokane-born Astronaut Anne McClain, who flew to the International Space Station in 2018 and is under consideration for the Artemis crewed mission to the Moon.
Sen. Cantwell and McClain spoke about the importance of bringing more women into the sciences and the workforce.
“We can’t have 50% of society sitting it out,” said Sen. Cantwell. “We’re just not going to be competitive as a nation if we don’t have women join the effort.”
“Diversity is naturally occurring,” said Astronaut McClain. “So if you have a lack of diversity, it’s because there’s a barrier somewhere. We think about this a lot in astronaut selection. If we cast a net and we only get one type of person applying then there’s a problem with our net, there’s a problem with our selection. There’s a barrier somewhere that we’re not seeing.”
Later in the event, McClain spoke about her opportunities to become an astronaut and her commitment to increasing opportunity for the next generation.
“I did have the opportunity to walk through these doors but those doors were opened by other women that did not accept the status quo,” said McClain. “All of us have a responsibility to open doors to those underprivileged communities – LGBT, transgender rights – we have to open the doors for other people.”
Although the number of women in STEM has been increasing, studies show that a gender gap persists – as of 2019, 34 percent of the STEM workforce was women. However, research shows that interacting with women scientists and having female role models helps women to choose STEM careers and make them more likely to stay in STEM. Beginning in 2001, the University of Washington launched a program using National Science Foundation (NSF) funds to more than double the number of female faculty in its College of Engineering; today, UW has the highest representation of women in faculty in the top 50 engineering colleges.
Sen. Cantwell was a chief architect and lead negotiator of the CHIPS & Science Act, which was signed into law earlier this year. The two committees that spearheaded the CHIPS & Science Act – the Senate Commerce committee led by Sen. Cantwell and the House Science Committee led by Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson – were led by women.
The new law triples funding for NSF STEM programs over five years, including new funds for up to 40,000 new scholarships, fellowships, and traineeships, with direction to increase participation of women and other groups underrepresented in STEM fields. The CHIPS & Science Act also directs the NSF to allocate awards to boost the number of women and minorities in STEM fields through mentoring programs, research experiences, and outreach. The law additionally fully authorized NASA’s Artemis mission for the first time and expressed Congress’ intent that the mission should include women and minorities.
“I think that the CHIPS & Science bill is the story about the next phase of America and how we need more women in science,” Sen. Cantwell said during the panel. “Here we are today with shortages across every sector of the sciences. We need more women.”
Each year, The Spokesman-Review honors 10 women from across the Inland Northwest who have made remarkable contributions in business, politics, art, social services, philanthropy or activism. The Nov. 21 ceremony honored the 2020, 2021 and 2022 Women of the Year.
IN OTHER DELEGATION HEADLINES:
Cantwell on Spokane’s Affordable Housing: Gonzaga Family Haven is “A Great Model” for Nation
Senator Murray Announces Over $8 Million in Funding for Rural Broadband Access in Washington state.
(3) WORLD NEWS HEADLINES
‘Catastophic’ winter in store for Ukraine, warns UN peacebuilding chief, following Russian strikes on critical infrastructure.
Addressing the Security Council on Wednesday, Rosemary DiCarlo, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, warned of the devastation caused by Russia’s “relentless attacks” against civilians and critical infrastructure across Ukraine.
The UN peacebuilding chief went on to catalogue some of the reported consequences of the most recent strikes, from the death of a new-born baby in a maternity hospital in the Zaporizhzhia region, which was hit overnight, to dozens of civilian deaths in residential buildings in Kyiv and nearby towns.
According to Ukrainian officials and media reports, the country’s energy supply has been decimated; even before the latest barrage, practically no large thermal or hydroelectric power plants were left intact. All regions of Ukraine have introduced emergency shutdowns, and several regions are reported to be completely disconnected from electricity. Neighbouring Moldova has also been adversely affected.
Humanitarian efforts to support the Ukrainian people have ramped up, said Ms. DiCarlo: more than 430,000 people have received some sort of direct winter assistance in the past weeks, and nearly 400 generators have been distributed to ensure energy in hospitals, schools, and other critical facilities.
“The United Nations strongly condemns these attacks and demands that the Russian Federation immediately cease these actions,” declared Ms. DiCarlo, calling for accountability for any violations of the laws of war, and reiterating that attacks targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure are prohibited under international humanitarian law.
“The world cannot afford a nuclear catastrophe’
Ms. DiCarlo expressed deep concern at the situation at Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, in Zaporizhzhia.
Despite reported shelling at the plant over the weekend, key equipment at the site remains intact, she said, and there are no immediate nuclear safety or security concerns.
However, she went on, “this is the result of sheer luck. We do not know how long this luck will last. The world cannot afford a nuclear catastrophe”.
The Under-Secretary-General briefed the Council that, a matter of hours before her address, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) had reported that the plant is relying on diesel generators to power cooling and essential nuclear safety functions.
Prisoner exchange
Ms. Di Carlo was able to point to one ray of light in an otherwise downbeat assessment of the situation – a prisoner exchange.
Russia and Ukraine, she said, had reported the release of 35 Russian and 36 Ukrainian prisoners. She called on both parties to continue such releases, and to ensure that they fulfil their obligations under international law, in particular, the Third Geneva Convention, which relates to the treatment of prisoners of war.
All Member States and international organizations, said Ms. DiCarlo, must support efforts to prevent a man-made humanitarian catastrophe in Ukraine this winter.
“The resulting shocks”, she concluded, “would exact a heavy price, not only on Ukrainians, but on us all.
IN OTHER WORLD NEWS HEADLINES:
UN rights body launches Iran human rights investigation.
The United Nations Human Rights Council Holds Special Session on Iran--US STATE DEPT.
(4) NATIONAL & BUSINESS HEADLINES
Competition Remains Defining Feature of U.S.-China Relations, but Communications Still Important.
SOURCE LINK: DOD
The two defense leaders are attending the Association of Southeast Asian Nations defense ministers' meeting. The secretary last met China's defense leader at the Shangri-la Dialogue in Singapore in June.
Last week, President Joe Biden met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Bali, Indonesia. The two leaders agreed it's important that their countries work together to ensure that competition does not veer into conflict.
"Secretary Austin has spoken frequently about importance of open lines of communication between major powers including the United States in the PRC [China], and today he was following up on that, that discussion," said a senior defense official at the conclusion of the meeting.
Still, competition remains the defining feature of the relationship between the two nations, the official said, and Austin expressed some concerns about China's military behavior. He also pressed the Chinese to resume military dialogues and mechanisms to help manage that competition responsibly.
Re-starting already established mechanisms would help reduce the risk of misperception and miscalculation in crisis. "Secretary Austin also voiced concern about a pattern of unsafe or risky PLA [People's Liberation Army] air intercepts as an area of particular concern," the official said.
"On Russia, the secretary reiterated the points that came out of President Biden's meeting with President Xi … of strong opposition to the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons," the official said. The secretary also spoke of China “to more faithfully endorse or enforce U.N. Security Council resolutions.”
The two leaders had a "lengthy exchange" about Taiwan, with Austin reiterating that U.S. policy towards Taiwan has not changed. The United States continues to oppose unilateral changes to the status quo, and the United States will continue to fulfill its commitments under the Taiwan Relations Act, the official said.
The two talks U.S. officials would like to see resumed are the Defense Policy Coordination talks and the Maritime Military Consultative Agreement. The first is concerned with defense policy, and the second is a panel where operators can hold discussions around safe and professional interaction in the air and at sea.
The secretary also reaffirmed that the United States will continue to fly, sail and operate wherever international law allows.
IN OTHER NATIONAL NEWS:
Biden-Harris Administration Continues Fight for Student Debt Relief for Millions of Borrowers, Extends Student Loan Repayment Pause.--DEPT. of EDUCATION
HUD ENTERS AGREEMENT WITH ATLANTA HOUSING AUTHORITY TO RESOLVE COMPLIANCE REVIEW FINDINGS OF DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION.---HUD
EPA’s Responsible Appliance Disposal Program Honors 12 Partners for Accomplishments in Appliance Recycling--EPA
BUSINESS HEADLINES:
Justice Department, FTC and State of Wisconsin File Complaint to Stop Deceptive Sales Practices of Timeshare Exit Services Aimed at Elderly Consumers.
LINK SOURCE: DOJ
The Department of Justice, together with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the State of Wisconsin, today announced a civil enforcement action against 16 defendants for allegedly using deceptive sales practices nationally to sell timeshare “exit services” to senior citizens.
The defendants include five individuals – Christopher Carroll, George Reed, LouAnn Reed, Scott Jackson and Eduardo Balderas – and 11 related companies and trusts they run and operate – Consumer Law Protection LLC, Consumer Rights Council, Premier Reservations Group LLC, Resort Transfer Group LLC, Square One Development Group Inc., Square One Group LLC, Timeshare Help Source LLC, Farmington Allegiance LLC, Mainline Partners LLC, the Jake and Avery Irrevocable Trust dated Sept. 11, 2019, and the Maggie and Lucy Irrevocable Trust dated Sept. 11, 2019.
According to a complaint filed in the Eastern District of Missouri, the defendants promised to assist consumers in exiting their timeshare contracts in exchange for large fees, but usually failed to deliver on their promises. The complaint alleges that the defendants, at high-pressure sales presentations at hotels and restaurants in multiple states, convinced consumers to sign up for timeshare exit services by falsely claiming that consumers could not exit timeshare contracts on their own, that the defendants were affiliated with legitimate companies, and that the consumers’ heirs would be stuck with large fees unless they signed defendants’ contracts. The complaint further alleges that the defendants failed to notify consumers of their rights under federal and state law to cancel their contracts with defendants within three business days. According to the complaint, the defendants deceived consumers – who were mostly seniors – into paying more than $90 million to the defendant companies for services that were not delivered. The complaint states that, through these actions, the defendants violated the FTC Act, which prohibits unfair and deceptive conduct, the FTC’s rule concerning cooling-off period for sales made at home or other locations, which requires disclosures about the right to cancel purchases, and certain Wisconsin state laws concerning fraudulent misrepresentations and direct marketing.
The complaint seeks monetary relief, civil penalties and injunctive relief to stop defendants from continuing to make deceptive claims in connection with the sale of timeshare exit services. The defendants’ timeshare exit services are also the subject of lawsuits filed by the Alaska and Missouri Attorneys General in June 2022.
This matter is being handled by Trial Attorneys Ellen Bowden McIntyre and Amy Kaplan and Assistant Director Lisa K. Hsiao of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch and Samantha Denny and William Hodor of the FTC. Lewis W. Beilin represents the State of Wisconsin.
For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at https://www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Information about the Department of Justice’s Elder Fraud Initiative is available at www.justice.gov/elderjustice. For more information about the FTC, visit its website at https://www.FTC.gov.
IN OTHER BUSINESS HEADLINES:
Ohio Gambling Business Owner Sentenced For Tax Fraud Conspiracy
Did Not Report Millions from Illegal Gambling Operation--DOJ
Treasury Sanctions Iranian Officials Connected to the Continued Protest Crackdown--US TREASURY DEPT.
US DEPARTMENT OF LABOR ANNOUNCES FINAL RULE TO REMOVE BARRIERS TO CONSIDERING ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL, GOVERNANCE FACTORS IN PLAN INVESTMENTS.--DEPT. of LABOR
