Washington’s attorney general promises to ‘continue to advocate hard for your rights’

PULLMAN — Washington’s new attorney general is committed to defending the rights of its citizens statewide.

Nick Brown paid Washington State University’s Pullman Campus a visit Monday afternoon. Not a seat was left empty at Bryan Hall’s Foley Speaker Room to hear the attorney general discuss ongoing litigation the state is seeking against the Trump administration.

Brown said Washington’s Attorney General Office is one of the largest in the country with around 830 lawyers. To put in perspective, he said New York’s office has around 900 attorneys.

Washington’s office is the exclusive legal representation for all of the state government and its citizens, Brown said, which covers issues across the board like civil rights, environmental enforcement, consumer protection, antitrust and advocating for residents when their rights are being implicated or violated.

Brown was sworn in as the state’s 19th attorney general Jan. 15. During his first month of service, he said he never envisioned spending so much time in litigation against U.S. President Donald Trump.

Washington is involved in five different cases challenging executive orders handed down by the new administration.

Out of all the concerns made to the U.S. attorney general, Brown said the No. 1 complaint offices around the country have received is against the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

Brown said people are very concerned about their privacy, along with personal, financial and health care information being subjected to Elon Musk.

Washington joined a lawsuit against Musk and DOGE for unlawful assertion of power. Brown said the case argues Trump violated the appointments clause of the U.S. Constitution by creating a federal department without congressional approval and granting Musk the role over federal agencies without being nominated or received U.S. Senate confirmation.

Washington is leading a lawsuit that challenges the Trump administration’s order to end birthright citizenship, a directive that would impact babies born to a mother or father who are not U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents.

Brown said the case argues birthright citizenship preserved in the constitution, and the executive order would impact Washington citizens.

The state’s attorney general Office has also joined cases that challenge two presidential directives that froze federal financial assistance and reduced indirect costs the National Institutes of Health finance through grants.

Brown said while a lot of people think the government is “too big” or “too bloated,” there are processes that the U.S. Congress has provided for changes.

Washington has also filed a lawsuit to halt a presidential order that ends federal funding to medical institutions providing gender-affirming care. Brown said on top of that, the directive threatens criminal enforcement against medical professionals and parents of patients receiving care.

“That threat from the federal government is pretty profound,” he said. “It is not normal for the president to threaten jail against doctors under any circumstances … and we should not accept that.”

Brown said Washington is a national leader in health care research and the president cannot withhold funding from medical institutions.

Along with Washington’s battles against the Trump administration, Brown said the state is continuing to find ways to protect the rights of Washingtonians. He said some local battles include fighting against companies engaging in misleading business practices leading to a nationalized housing market, addressing mergers that reduce competition resulting in loss of jobs and increased prices for Washington, as well as holding those who pollute and harm the environment accountable.

“As long as I’m attorney general,” Brown said, “we will continue to advocate hard for your rights and your protections.”

Pearce can be reached at epearce@dnews.com.