The Avengers General

Historically, state attorneys general enforce state criminal laws and represent state officials.

Recently, however, Democratic attorneys general have banded together into groups to sue corporate America for multistate consumer fraud violations and tort claims. Beginning with the $206 billion multistate tobacco litigation settlement in the late 1990s, they have won multi-million-dollar settlements from a wide array of corporate interests, including toy makers, toy retailers, athletic shoe makers, car manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, and many others, often duplicating federal claims for the same conduct. A backlash from Republican attorneys general is developing, however.