Continuing the actions of his predecessor, Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown has taken swift action in response to Presidential Executive Orders which undermine the constitutional separation of powers and attack the democratic institutions of our federal government.
Governor Rob Ferguson, Washington State Attorney General during the first Trump administration, forged alliances with other attorneys general to rein in presidential overreach. Of ninety-seven lawsuits filed against the federal government, Attorney General Ferguson’s office lost only one.
Since January 20, 2025, the current Attorney General has joined with other state attorney generals in the following actions, many of which support the positions of the League of Women Voters:
- Seeking to block the freezing of congressionally approved federal funds to states (Preliminary Injunction granted March 6)
- Seeking to block the defunding of health research (Preliminary Injunction granted March 5)
- Seeking to block EOs targeting trans youth and gender-affirming care (Preliminary Injunction granted February 28)
- Seeking to block the targeting of trans military service members
- Seeking to halt the firing of probationary federal employees and to secure their reinstatement (Preliminary Injunction granted March 13)
- Challenging Elon Musk’s exercise of power
- Challenging the end to birthright citizenship (Preliminary injunction granted February6)
- Warning federal employees about the government’s buyout offer.
- Condemning US Attorney General Bondi’s character attacks on federal prosecutors
- Opposing changes to the passport application process for trans people
- Seeking to prevent the dismantling of the US Department of Education
- Supporting the Seattle law firm Perkins Coie and other law firms attacked by the President
- Opposing the repeal of NEPA regulations requiring environmental impact statements.
- Leading multi-state suit against US Department of Health and Human Services for terminating $11 billion in public health grants. (Temporary Restraining order granted to restore funding.) A further suit to block termination of other NIH grants was filed on April 4
- Challenging the illegal EO attacking elections and voting rights. States set the rules for elections, not the federal government.
- Suing to stop the dismantling of the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, and the Minority Business Development Agency.
These actions include bringing suit, filing amicus briefs, and submitting comments to proposed orders.
