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While Washington's Attorney General Bob Ferguson sued President Obama twice, he sued President Trump considerably more during 2017 -- Trump's first year on the job. Note: This list has been updated to include additional lawsuits filed after 2017. Waters of the United States (New York vs. Pruitt et. al.): Washington joined 10 states on Feb. 6, 2018 in a lawsuit against the EPA. They attorneys general are challenging a decision to suspend the “Waters of the United States” rule, which states which waters are to be protected under the Clean Water Act. Industries related to farming and petroleum have opposed the rule which protects bodies of water such as lakes, rivers, streams, wetlands, or ponds. States include: New York (lead), California, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and the District of Columbia FERC and FoIA (Washington vs. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission): Washington state filed a lawsuit on Jan. 31, 2018. The state alleges FERC did not respond to the AG’s Freedom of Information Act request from November 2017. The AG requested communications from FERC commissioners. The AG’s office notes that FERC was in a “tumultuous time” when the commission failed to have a quorum or hold public meetings, yet considered a proposal from the Department of Energy that “would have upended energy markets.” Original travel ban: President Trump attempted to ban travel from seven predominantly Muslim countries. It was halted after Washington, California, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York and Oregon sued the administration. Energy efficiency rules (New York vs. Perry): Washington state joined New York (lead), Connecticut, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, and District of Columbia in suing the federal government over “unlawful delay in implementing new energy efficiency rules for ceiling fans.” The U.S. Dept. of Energy conceded. The AG’s office says the rules will cut down on 200 billion kilowatt hours over three decades and save consumers between $4.5 – 12.1 billion in energy costs. States included: New York (lead), Connecticut, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, and District of Columbia. New oil and gas facilities (Clean Air Council vs. EPA): Washington joined other states to intervene in a lawsuit against the EPA on June 20. They challenged delays implementing regulations on emissions from new oil and gas facilities, specifically dealing with methane emissions. The AG’s office notes that methane has 80 times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide. The court ruled in favor of the state AGs on July 3, stating that the EPA violated the Clean Air Act. States included: California (co-lead), Massachusetts (co-lead), Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and District of Columbia. Ground-level ozone standards (New York vs. EPA): After EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt attempted to delay designating which parts of the United States met new ground-level ozone standards on Aug. 1, Washington and other states filed a lawsuit. Within one day, Pruitt backed down. States included: New York (lead), California, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Minnesota, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and District of Columbia. Vehicle emissions (California vs. U.S. Department of Transportation): Nine states sued the Federal Highway Administration for suspending the effective date for a regulation of greenhouse gases without notice or comment. The rule required states to measure greenhouse gases from on-road vehicles, while also setting goals to reduce them. The AG’s office reports that the highway administration is putting the regulation into effect. States included: California (lead), Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington. DACA (New York vs. Trump): A total of 17 states sued the Trump administration over the president’s decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA). Participants are commonly called “dreamers” and were brought into the country as children. They grew up in the United States. The AG’s office says that ending the program threatens protections for 17,000 dreamers in Washington. The lawsuit attempts to bar the federal government from using DACA information to target dreamers. A court date is scheduled for Jan. 18, 2018. States included: Washington (co-lead), New York (co-lead), Massachusetts (co-lead), Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and District of Columbia. Contraception access (Washington vs. Trump): Washington state sued the Trump administration on Oct. 9 over the administration’s proposed rules restricting access to contraception. The AG’s office argues that the change will affect 1.5 million Washington workers and their dependents receiving insurance through their employer. If Washington women are denied this coverage, they could turn to state-funded programs to receive the medical care. Trump’s second travel ban (Washington vs. Trump): No decision was made in this lawsuit. After Washington state sued the Trump administration over a revised version of its travel ban, federal judges blocked its implementation. States included: Washington (lead), California, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, and Oregon. Trump’s third travel ban (Washington vs. Trump): Washington filed a revised complaint Oct. 11 challenging Trump’s third travel ban. This version of the ban attempted to permanently halt immigration from specific countries. States included: Washington (lead), California, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, and Oregon. Military transgender ban (Karnoski vs. Trump): Arguing that Trump’s intentions to ban transgender soldiers from the military would affect Washington’s national guard, as well as the 60,000 active and reserve military members in the state, Washington filed a motion to intervene on Sept. 25. A court ruling is pending. Borrower defense (Massachusetts vs. DeVos): Washington and 18 other states sued Education Secretary Betsy DeVos on July 6, after she delayed borrower defense regulations. The regulations were supposed to go into effect on July 1, providing consumer protections to students at for-profit colleges. States included: Massachusetts (lead), California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and District of Columbia. Coal leasing on public lands (California vs. Zinke): On May 9, four states challenged the Department of Interior over its decision to restart a program to lease coal-mining on public land. The states argued that the federal government did not supplement or replace a 40-year-old environmental study about the environmental harms of mining on federal land. States include: California (lead), New Mexico, New York, and Washington. Energy efficiency standards for appliances (California vs. Perry): Washington and 10 other states filed a lawsuit on June 13 over the Trump administration’s “unlawful” delay of new energy efficiency standards for walk-in coolers, freezers, and air conditioners, as well as other appliances. The AG’s office claims it will save consumers at least $4.7 billion in energy costs. States include: California (lead), New York, Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Washington, and City of New York. Chemical disasters (New York vs. Pruitt): Eleven states, including Washington, filed a petition on July 24 over the Trump administration’s “unlawful” delay of a Chemical Disaster Rule. The rule came in the wake of the Tesoro refinery explosion in Anacortes and other incidents across the country. A court briefing is scheduled for Jan. 31, 2018. States include: New York (lead), Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington. Pesticides (League of United Latin American Citizens vs. Pruitt): Five states, including Washington, filed a motion to intervene in the case on June 6. The states want assurance that the EPA completes a review of the neurotoxic pesticide chlorpyrifos to protect farmworkers and residents in agricultural areas. The motion is pending. States include: New York (lead), Maryland, Vermont, Washington, Massachusetts, and District of Columbia. Cost sharing reduction subsidies (Califorinia vs. Trump): A total of 17 states, including Washington, sued the Trump administration over its decision to terminate cost-sharing reduction subsidies. The AG’s office argues that these subsidies reduce out-of-pocket health care costs for low-income Americans, and that the president’s decision to withhold payments is illegal and unconstitutional. Trump’s decision will increase premiums of 100,000 Washington residents by as much as 28 percent, according to the AG’s office. States include: New York (lead), Maryland, Vermont, Washington, Massachusetts, and District of Columbia. Gainful employment (Maryland vs. Trump): On Oct. 17, Washington joined 16 other states and Washington DC in a lawsuit against the Dept. of Education over a decision to delay a gainful employment rule. The AG’s office argues the rule prevents colleges from offering worthless degrees while students accrue massive debt. The rule also denies federal financial aid to schools whose graduates do not earn enough money to pay off student loans. States include: Maryland (co-lead), Pennsylvania (co-lead), California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and District of Columbia. Ground level ozone (California vs. Pruitt): After 16 states, including Washington, sued the EPA in July for allegedly violating the Clean Air Act, the EPA withdrew its decision to delay the designation of new air quality standards for ground-level ozone pollution. The EPA, however, did not follow suit and meet the Oct. 1 deadline to implement the standards. In December, Washington joined 14 other states responded by suing the EPA for violating the Clean Air Act. States include: California, New York, Connecticut, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and District of Columbia.
Washington’s attorney general sued Trump, feds 20 times in 2017-18