National State Attorneys General Program at Columbia Law School RSS http://www.law.columbia.edu/center_program/ag en-US Wed, 10 Mar 2010 04:22:43 EST Wed, 10 Mar 2010 04:22:43 EST http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/rss/rss.html RT SiteBuilder 6.30-dev-814 ]]> webadmin@law.columbia.edu <![CDATA[Fifteen state AGs call for end to expensive and risky home loans]]> Democratic attorneys general from fifteen states have asked the Federal Reserve to prohibit home loan officers and mortgage brokers from urging borrowers into expensive loans.  A letter signed by the fifteen AGs criticizes the unfair and deceptive acts that led to the recent foreclosure crisis and proposes incentives for loans that perform well in the long run instead.

]]> Tue, 28 Dec 2010 00:00:00 EST ]]> <![CDATA[Coakley opposes Workers' Compensation rate hike]]> Coakley opposes Workers’ Compensation rate hike (March 3, 2010)

Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley will oppose a more 4 percent raise to Workers' Compensation premiums requested by the insurance industry. The rate increase, if accepted by the Commissioner of Insurance, would allegedly cost small businesses and other employers more than $40 million in extra premiums, which, in these difficult economic times, is a tremendous burden, claims Coakley.

 

]]> Thu, 4 Mar 2010 00:00:00 EST ]]> <![CDATA[Indiana Attorney General Zoeller doesn't want to settle East Chicago lawsuit]]> Indiana Attorney General Zoeller doesn’t want to settle East Chicago lawsuit (March 3, 2010)

The office of Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller and the city of East Chicago are plaintiffs in a lawsuit against Second Century, Inc., which seeks to make the company divulge how $16 million of its East Chicago riverboat casino revenue were spent over the 10 years since the company's creation.  Second Century's casino revenue was allegedly meant to provide economic development in East Chicago but, to date, Second Century has refused to reveal how the money was used.

 

]]> Thu, 4 Mar 2010 00:00:00 EST ]]> <![CDATA[Arizona, Mexico attorneys general to discuss border security]]> Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard will meet with Mexico Attorney General Arturo Chavez Chavez to discuss border security as well as other pressing issues.

]]> Tue, 2 Mar 2010 00:00:00 EST ]]> <![CDATA[Toyota Agrees to Pay for Pickup and Return of Recalled Vehicles]]> Toyota and the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) announced an agreement in which Toyota would provide free pickup of recalled cars and transportation to customers whose cars have been recalled. Millions of Toyota cars are in the process of being recalled due to acceleration issues.

]]> Tue, 2 Mar 2010 00:00:00 EST ]]> <![CDATA[The Maryland attorney general takes a step in the direction of gay marriage]]>
While Maryland law has determined that “only a marriage between a man and a woman is valid in” the state, Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler has provided an authoritative reading of the law, concluding that same-sex marriages performed in other jurisdictions may—and should—be recognized in Maryland. 

]]> Sat, 27 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST ]]> <![CDATA[Attorney General Brown subpoenas 7 California health insurers]]> Attorney General Jerry Brown Thursday subpoenaed Anthem, Aetna Health, Blue Cross, CIGNA, Health Net, Blue Shield of California, Kaiser Permanente and PacifCare healthcare insurance companies for their financial records. Brown said his office began an inquiry last September into claims some of the insurers were denying patient claims in nearly 40 percent of cases.

]]> Thu, 25 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST ]]> <![CDATA[Colorado attorney general sues credit-repair firm]]> Colorado Attorney General John Suthers has sued Veracity Credit Consultants, a credit-repair company, for allegedly charging upfront fees for its services and failing to disclose to clients the total amount they would ultimately be charged. Under Colorado law, credit-repair firms can only charge fees at the completion of services.]]> Mon, 22 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST ]]> <![CDATA[Arkansas announces $18.5M settlement with Eli Lilly]]> The office of Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel has reached an $18.5 million settlement with Eli Lilly & Co. over improper marketing of an anti-psychotic medication.

]]> Wed, 17 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST ]]> <![CDATA[Attorney General Martha Coakley's Office Obtains Consent Judgement Against Cambridge Realtor]]> Attorney General Martha Coakley's Office has obtained a consent judgment resolving a housing discrimination case against Michael Kanter and his former employer Apartment Rental Experts, LLC, who are accused of violating state anti-discrimination laws by refusing to rent an apartment to a Cambridge resident because he participates in the Section 8 housing subsidy program.]]> Sun, 14 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST ]]> <![CDATA[Attorney General Andrew Cuomo Settles With Upper Manhattan Mega-Landlord Vantage]]> New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo settled with one of Manhattan’s largest landlords, Vantage Properties, for $1 million after threatening to sue the property owner for allegedly harassing thousands of rent-regulated tenants in order to bring in higher paying renters.

]]> Fri, 12 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST ]]> <![CDATA[Minnesota AG Sues 2 Texas Discount Health Firms]]>  

Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson has sued two Texas-based health firms, Direct Medical Network Solutions Inc. and Association Healthcare Management Inc., for falsely representing their discounted health care plans as medical insurance to thousands of customers. Swanson estimated that the two companies' customers in Minnesota had lost millions of dollars because the false insurance policies were not honored. 
]]> Wed, 10 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST ]]> <![CDATA[Madigan files suits against mortgage brokers]]> Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan has filed lawsuits against Hartland Mortgage Centers Inc, American Advisors Group Inc. and company president Reza Jahangiri for allegedly using unfair and deceptive marketing practices in soliciting reverse mortgages to seniors. These Home Equity Conversion Mortgages were falsely marketed to indicate that seniors would be eligible for lifetime monthly income as part of a government benefit program when in fact the offer was for loans that would eventually have to be repaid.

]]> Mon, 8 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST ]]> <![CDATA[Consumer Protection Update - January 21-February 4, 2010]]> Items in this edition of the Consumer Protection Update include:

Please visit our website for the full update.

]]> Mon, 8 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST ]]> <![CDATA[NY Attorney General Sues Bank of America Over Merrill Lynch Merger]]> Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, joined by TARP Inspector General Neil Barofsky, will sue Bank of America and former executives Ken Lewis and Joe Price for allegedly hiding massive losses at Merrill Lynch so that Bank of America shareholders would approve the merger.  Cuomo claims that “[o]nce the deal was approved, Bank of America’s management manipulated the federal government into saving the deal with billions in taxpayer funds by falsely claiming that they would back out of the deal without bailout funds.” ]]> Thu, 4 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST ]]> <![CDATA[Attorney General Says Dey Can Sell "Who Dat"]]> Louisiana Attorney General Buddy Caldwell made a decision to allow third-party sellers to sell t-shirts bearing the “Who Dat?” catch phrase as long as they do not bear the team's fleur-de-lis logo of the New Orlean’s Saints (which is an NFL trademark) and aren't sold as official team merchandise. 

]]> Tue, 2 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST ]]> <![CDATA[Blue Cross to pay fine, stop auto calls]]>

Due to a settlement with the North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina and has agreed to stop making automated phone calls and pay the state of North Carolina $95,000 in penalties.  The company commissioned so-called “robo calls” to 100,000 North Carolina residents last October without following state law, which mandates that a live operator announce the automated message and give recipients the chance to refuse the call.

]]> Thu, 28 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST ]]> <![CDATA[West Virginia Attorney General Suing Capital One Bank and Four other related Debt Collection Agencies]]> West Virginia Attorney General Darrell McGraw filed a lawsuit against Capital One Bank (USA) N.A. along with Capital One Services, LLC, Capital One Services II, LLC, Capital One Services III, LLC, and COSI Receivables Management which are corporations that provide debt collection services for credit cards that were issued by Capital One Bank.   The lawsuit claims that Capital One Bank and the debt collection corporations conducted various practices that violated West Virginia consumer protection law, including the solicitation of customers with the disguise of new credit, when it really was a debt repayment plan.

]]> Tue, 26 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST ]]> <![CDATA[Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, and DOJ file antitrust case against Dean Foods]]>  The attorneys general of Illinois, Wisconsin, and Michigan have joined the Department of Justice in challenging Dean Food's acquisition of a competitor's milk business.  The lawsuit seeks to require Dean Foods to sell a dairy processing plant it acquired in April because of reduced competition in the sale of milk to supermarkets.

]]> Mon, 25 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST ]]> <![CDATA[Consumer Protection Update - December 16, 2009-January 25, 2010]]> Items in this edition of the Consumer Protection Update include:

]]> Mon, 25 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST ]]> <![CDATA[Arizona AG files lawsuit against deceptive employment service]]>
In a joint lawsuit with the Federal Trade Commission, Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard has accused the Tucson-based employment agency Government Careers, Inc. of masquerading as a legitimate government career center. As many as 10,000 people nationwide, after the agency guaranteed them federal jobs, signed up for study materials and employment counseling, which never were provided.

]]> Tue, 19 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST ]]> <![CDATA[Connecticut AG sues Health Net for losing patients' medical records]]>
Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal has sued the healthcare company Health Net for failing to secure the records of thousands of its members. The company lost private information – including social security and bank account numbers – of 446,000 enrollees last May but did not alert its members until six months later.

 

]]> Tue, 19 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST ]]> <![CDATA[Hospitals and nursing homes fined for dumping drugs into water supply]]>

New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo has fined two hospitals and three nursing homes for flushing pharmaceutical waste in Delaware and Putnam counties, which supply part of New York City’s drinking water.  Ten other facilities are under similar investigation.

]]> Wed, 13 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST ]]> <![CDATA[Louisiana AG targets toxic drywall]]>
Louisiana Attorney General James Caldwell has filed a lawsuit against building supply manufacturers over 1.1 million sheets of toxic drywall used in buildings after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The drywall may cause various health problems, including asthma attacks and heart disease.

]]> Wed, 13 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST ]]> <![CDATA[H&R Block will refund $19 million for deceptive retirement accounts]]>
H&R Block Inc. agreed to pay up to $19.4 million to customers who bought “Express IRAs” retirement accounts, settling a lawsuit filed in New York in 2006.  Attorney General Andrew Cuomo claimed H&R block aggressively peddled the accounts, which were “virtually guaranteed” to lose money, without disclosing hidden fees or accurately describing interest rates.

]]> Wed, 6 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST ]]> <![CDATA[Consumer Protection Update - December 4 - 16, 2009]]> Visit http://stateag.org/consumer for details:

 

]]> Thu, 17 Dec 2009 00:00:00 EST ]]> <![CDATA[Vermont Attorney General dives into milk monopoly accusations]]>

Northeast dairy farmers accusing milk processors DFA, Dean Foods, and HP Hood of monopolistic practices have spurred Vermont Attorney General William Sorrell to solicit farmers’ testimonies and assess the prudence of an antitrust lawsuit.  In a separate class-action suit filed in October, the same milk processors were accused of conspiring to fix prices paid to farmers and of coercing dairy farmers into a limited number of low-paying bottling agreements.

]]> Tue, 15 Dec 2009 00:00:00 EST ]]> <![CDATA[WA Attorney General McKenna sues DirecTV for big fees in small print]]>
Attorney General Rob McKenna is suing the nation’s largest satellite cable company, DirecTV, for obscuring large fees in its contracts.  McKenna’s office says Washington residents have filed more than 700 complaints against the company since 2006, including 375 this year.

]]> Tue, 15 Dec 2009 00:00:00 EST ]]> <![CDATA[Forty-two AGs weigh in on deceptive credit report web sites]]>
In a letter to the Federal Trade Commission, 42 state attorneys general urged the government to strengthen consumer protection against the deceptive marketing of free credit reports. In spite of federal law allowing consumers to obtain free credit reports, several web sites have emerged that market the reports as a benefit of other costly credit-related services that consumers rarely need.

]]> Wed, 9 Dec 2009 00:00:00 EST ]]> <![CDATA[Verizon pays NJ and consumers in settlement]]>

Verizon New Jersey settled a state-filed lawsuit that had accused the company of violating state advertising regulations and the state Consumer Fraud Act while marketing and selling FiOS.  Agreeing to pay $795,000  to the state and provide $50 coupons to 1,160 customers who lodged complaints, Verizon did not admit wrongdoing or liability as it entered into the settlement.

]]> Mon, 7 Dec 2009 00:00:00 EST ]]> <![CDATA[Consumer Protection Update - November 16-December 3, 2009]]> The following articles are available for viewing in the newest edition of the Consumer Protection Update:
Visit http://stateag.org/consumer for the full update.

]]> Thu, 3 Dec 2009 00:00:00 EST ]]> <![CDATA[Connecticut AG probes flu medicine price-gouging]]>

Suspecting some pharmacies have been charging high out-of-pocket prices for flu medicine, Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal has asked CVS, Rite Aid, and Walgreens for information about how they have been pricing the drug.  Blumenthal also requested information about why the pharmacies may have changed the price of the drug over the last year.

]]> Tue, 1 Dec 2009 00:00:00 EST ]]> <![CDATA[Facebook and Myspace purge websites of 3,500 NY-area sex offenders]]>

Two major social networking sites cooperated to identify and delete the accounts of over 3,500 New York State registered sex offenders upon the urging of Attorney General Andrew Cuomo.  Both Facebook and Myspace had long-standing policies against sex offenders using their sites, but New York’s Electronic Securing and Targeting of Online Predators Act (“E-Stop”) made it easier for these sites to cross-reference the emails of registered sex offenders in New York with online accounts.

]]> Tue, 1 Dec 2009 00:00:00 EST ]]> <![CDATA[NY Attorney General sues United Homeless Organization]]>
New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo filed a lawsuit on Tuesday alleging the United Homeless Organization, which has long sponsored street-corner donation tables throughout New York City, is a sham. Cuomo claims its president and its director used tens of thousands of dollars from the group for personal expenses while failing to provide any services for the homeless.

 
]]> Wed, 25 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST ]]> <![CDATA[Program Adviser Julie Brill Nominated for Federal Trade Commission Position]]>
Congratulations to Program Adviser and Lecturer-in-Law Julie Brill, who has been nominated by President Obama for a position as Commissioner on the Federal Trade Commission. Brill, currently the Senior Deputy Attorney General and Chief of Consumer Protection and Antitrust at the North Carolina Department of Justice, co-teaches the "Role of the State Attorney General" seminar with Program Director James E. Tierney. Previously, she worked for 21 years as Assistant Attorney General of the Consumer Protection Division at the Vermont Attorney General's Office.
 
Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, welcomed the nomination: “Julie Brill’s nomination will be a tonic for an FTC that too often over the last decade has languished while consumers’ interests have given way to special interests.
 
“Vermont has a vibrant record of consumer and privacy protection second to none, and Julie Brill did a masterful job in defending and renewing those rights. I am especially encouraged by her expertise on antitrust and privacy issues. Though these issues directly affect every American, they have not had the FTC’s full attention for far too long.”

]]> Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST ]]> <![CDATA[Consumer Protection Update - October 29-November 11, 2009]]> Topics in this edition of the Consumer Protection Update include: 

 

·         Maine Attorney General Janet Mills sues company for unfair and deceptive practices in marketing debt settlement services.
·         Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan settles with internet based telephone provider Vonage for improper billing and marketing practices.
·         Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster sues six Missouri businesses for auto warranty fraud.
·         Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster announces revocation of funeral home license and seeks restraining order freezing defendant's pre-need assets.
·         Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan sues marketing company for deceptively promising to reduce consumers' credit card interest rates.
·         New Jersey Attorney General Anne Milgram settles with Target Corporation
·         New York Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo announces successful lawsuit against New York antique dealer for defrauding customers
·         Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott seeks restitution from fraudulent mortgage rescue firm.
·         Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum sues Florida companies for charging up-front fees failing to provide promised services.
·         Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott obtains agreement with Tagged.com which prevents it from misappropriating identities from its members.
·         New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo obtains agreement with Tagged.com preventing it from misappropriating identities from its members
·         Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen sues New Jersey locksmiths for deceptively representing themselves as local businesses.
·         Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray sues Texas company for faulty and unfair services in connection with subprime and prime mortgages in Ohio.
·         Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett files suit against Philadelphia pet supply company for making false claims about charitable contributions and failing to provide refunds.
·         Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum sues Florida timeshare resale marketing companies.
·         Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett settles with Pennsylvania assisted living facility for failing to refund security deposits.

 

Please visit stateag.org/consumer for the full update.

]]> Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST ]]> <![CDATA[Following FTC lead, Ohio AG sues to stop Blue Hippo]]>
Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray filed a lawsuit against BlueHippo Funding, LLC and BlueHippo Capital, LLC alleging that the joint companies violated consumer rights with deceptive sales of home computers through layaway and credit sales agreements. The lawsuit follows less than a week after the Federal Trade Commission brought Blue Hippo back to federal court to enforce a previous order.

]]> Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST ]]> <![CDATA[Vonage settles multi-state case for multi-millions]]>
Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett announced a $3 million settlement with Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service provider Vonage following an investigation into the company’s marketing habits. A seven state group led the investigation, and more states are participating in the settlement.

]]> Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST ]]> <![CDATA[California AG issues lead warning]]>

In a letter sent to six major retailers selling in California, state Attorney General Jerry Brown warned of a number of toys that were found to contain dangerous amounts of lead.  Children are particularly susceptible to the risk of lead poisoning and may ingest lead when they put toys in their mouths or transfer the lead from their hands to their mouths or to food.

]]> Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST ]]> <![CDATA[CVS settles with New York over sales of expired goods]]>

New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo announced that drug store chain CVS has agreed to pay $875,000 to settle charges that the company sold products as late as two years past their expiration dates.  Over-the-counter drugs, eggs, milk, and baby formula were among the items sold at over 142 CVS stores in New York after their expiration dates had lapsed.

]]> Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST ]]> <![CDATA[Iowa Attorney General and 39 other AGs petition for larger role in consumer protection]]>

Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller is leading a group of 40 State Attorneys General in urging Congress to give state AGs the authority to enforce state consumer protection laws for federally chartered financial institutions.  Miller and Washington Attorney General Robert McKenna organized a letter from the 40 state AGs as Congress considers legislation to create a Consumer Financial Protection Agency.

]]> Thu, 5 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST ]]> <![CDATA[New York AG slaps Intel with antitrust lawsuit]]>

New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo has filed the first antitrust lawsuit against computer chipmaker Intel in more than a decade.  The lawsuit charges Intel with using large rebate offers and co-marketing arrangements to force various computer manufacturers, among them Dell, into using their chip rather than a smaller rival’s, AMD.

]]> Wed, 4 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST ]]> <![CDATA[Connecticut AG probing allegations of seasonal flu price-fixing and preferential treatment]]>

Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal contacted 13 makers and distributers of seasonal flu vaccines over allegations of high price fixing and preferred treatment for big retailers.  The seasonal flu vaccines are in short supply due to the switch made by drug makers to produce the H1N1 vaccine.

]]> Wed, 4 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST ]]> <![CDATA[Consumer Protection Update, October 21-28, 2009]]> The newest Consumer Protection Update has been posted on the National State Attorneys General Program's website. Consumer protection items in this update include:

  • Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal calls on major food manufacturers to discontinue the use of the "Smart Choices" logo
  • Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum sues used car dealers for deceptive and unfair practices concerning warranty representations and deposit return policies.
  • Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray sues home decorating company for failure to deliver online purchases.
  • Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto obtains temporary injunction from twelve long distance telephone companies
  • South Carolina Attorney General Henry McMaster announces $45 million settlement from Eli Lilly for fraudulent prescription marketing
  • Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna brings action against auto dealer for deceptive practices and false statements involving auto sales
  • California Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. sues State Street Bank and Trust for "unconscionable fraud" in overcharging California pension funds
  • Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum sues five debt settlement companies for falsely representing success rates to customers
  • Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster files actions against two Florida telemarketers for violating Missouri no-call laws
  • Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard obtains $1.3 million consent judgment from fraudulent foreclosure rescue companies
     
]]> Wed, 4 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST ]]> <![CDATA[Biotech giant sued by 15 states over kickback scheme]]>

New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo filed a lawsuit with 14 other states in federal court in Massachusetts accusing Amgen Inc. and Amerisource of encouraging doctors to bill third-party insurers for samples they received for free.  The companies also allegedly offered medical professionals kickbacks or weekend retreats for selling its drug.

]]> Sun, 1 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EDT ]]> <![CDATA[New York Attorney General announces $100 million Physician Fee Database]]>

One hundred million dollars from settlements with over a dozen insurance companies will go toward a new national database to help consumers understand insurance company reimbursements for out-of-network fees, New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo said on Tuesday.  Mr. Cuomo’s office had conducted an investigation into Ingenix and health insurance companies and determined that the industry systematically understated doctor’s fees for over a decade.  Within a year, a nonprofit company, FAIR Health, will be set up to take the place of the private database and provide consumers with accurate information.

]]> Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT ]]> <![CDATA[Milgram, Cuomo, and now Bullock planning to sue FedEx Ground]]>

The Attorneys General of New Jersey, New York, and, most recently, Montana, have vowed to sue FedEx Ground, claiming that the business’s classification of its truck drivers as independent contractors is a violation of state labor laws.  About 30 states are investigating the FedEx Ground after many drivers have sued FedEx for the right to health benefits, union organization, and other rights not afforded to them under their current classification as independent contractors.

]]> Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT ]]> <![CDATA[California AG accuses State Street Bank of fraud]]>

Jerry Brown, the Attorney General of California, has charged State Street Corporation with fraud, contending the State Street Currency traders consistently overcharged the two state pension funds for the costs of managing their accounts, cheating them of at least $56.6 million.  A spokeswoman for State Street said the bank denied any allegations of wrongdoing and would defend itself against any litigation.

]]> Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT ]]> <![CDATA[Cooperation among DOJ and three state AGs leads to $124 million settlement]]>

Several lawsuits brought by the Department of Justice against four pharmaceutical companies for failing to pay appropriate rebates to state Medicaid programs resulted in a $124 million settlement.  The Attorneys General of New York, New Hampshire, and Ohio assisted with the investigation.

]]> Mon, 19 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT ]]> <![CDATA[Connecticut AG questions health food labeling]]>

In a letter to Kellogg’s, General Mills, and PepsiCo, Connecticut AG Richard Blumenthal raised concern about “Smart Choices” package labels.  Designed to promote nutritional foods, the labels have been used nationally on many seemingly unhealthy products including sugary breakfast cereals and mayonnaise.  Blumenthal’s investigation will determine whether the labeling campaign violates the state’s consumer protection law, which bars misleading or false product claims.

]]> Wed, 14 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT ]]>