DAGA’s TOP 10 MOMENTS OF 2019
2019 was a busy year for DAGA and Democratic Attorneys General across the country, from defending our democracy in front of the Supreme Court to helping elect the next Governor of Kentucky, here are the top 10 moments of 2019:
1)Dem AGs Go To SCOTUS
After the Trump administration attempted to add a discriminatory citizenship question to the 2020 Census, Democratic AGs fought back in court — and WON. In June, after months of hard work and advocacy, the U.S. Supreme Court blocked the proposed citizenship question from the census. The ruling was a huge victory for New York AG Tish James, 16 Democratic AGs, and the diverse coalition fighting to keep a discriminatory citizenship question off the upcoming 2020 Census. AG James said at the time, “Every single person in this country deserves to be counted, plain and simple.”
In November, California AG Xavier Becerra and New York AG Tish James traveled to the U.S. Supreme Court to defend DACA recipients and Dreamers. Leading up to the oral arguments in the DACA case, AG Becerra and the Democratic AG coalition successfully halted Trump’s attempts to roll back the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. These initial rulings helped more than 500,000 DREAMers renew their DACA status, providing them with security and stability as they continue to make the United States home.
2) Historic Announcement to Protect Reproductive Rights
In November, DAGA became the first campaign committee to commit to only endorsing AG candidates who publicly support reproductive rights, including access to abortion. Progressive groups and leaders from across the country like Planned Parenthood, NARAL, and Emily’s List praised the decision as sweeping restrictions to abortion access in the states continue to threaten to overturn Roe v. Wade. 2020 hopefuls like Sec. Julian Castro and Senators Warren, Harris and Gillibrand along with former Democratic Presidential Nominee Hillary Clinton voiced their support as well.
3) Owning the Bench
Kentucky’s Democratic AG Andy Beshear successfully defeated Republican incumbent Matt Bevin in the Kentucky Governor’s race this November. Not only did he win in a state President Trump won by 30%, but he also successfully ran on his strong record as Kentucky’s Democratic Attorney General. DAGA worked closely with the DGA and the Kentucky Democratic Party in 2019. Governor Beshear is the 23rd Democratic AG to successfully go on to serve as Governor in their state.
4) States Lead on GVP
To mark gun violence awareness month in June, DAGA partnered with Everytown for Gun Safety to hold a gun violence prevention roundtable with survivors, advocates, and Democratic AG to discuss how state AGs are leading on gun safety in their states. Coming out of the roundtable, the coalition of participating Democratic AGs promised to take lessons learned back to their home states.
This year, Democratic AGs have successfully blocked the distribution of 3-D printed gun blueprints, championed state legislation and programs to keep guns of the hands of domestic abusers, defended assault weapons bans, and worked closely with community leaders and survivors to find solutions to every day gun violence.
5) Visiting the Border & Protecting Immigrant Communities
In May, Democratic AGs joined Al Otro Lado, a nonprofit legal service provider, at the US-Mexico border for a briefing on Al Otro Lado’s work and to observe the US-Mexico border from both sides of the San Ysidro Port of Entry. The briefing covered Al Otro Lado’s legal work serving indigent deportees and refugees in Mexico and ensuring that the rights of those seeking asylum are protected. As the Trump administration works to eliminate long standing immigration policy, Democratic AGs continue to take action to fight back and protect our immigrant communities. From filing briefs to protect asylum seekers to filing lawsuits against Trump’s family separation policy, Democratic AGs are taking this fight to the courts. Most recently, a Democratic AG coalition led by California AG Xavier Becerra BLOCKED the Trump from diverting federal funds to build a wall along the southern border.
6) Fighting to Protect Health Care
Following historic victories in the 2018 Midterms flipping four AG seats blue, the Democratic AG coalition defending health care for millions of Americans gained new allies. Iowa AG Tom Miller and newly elected Colorado AG Phil Weiser, Nevada AG Aaron Ford & Michigan AG Dana Nessel joined the Dem AG coalition in Texas v. US, the GOP-led lawsuit to undermine the Affordable Care Act. As promised on the campaign trail, Wisconsin AG Josh Kaul removed Wisconsin from the lawsuit. In December, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled the ACA’s individual mandate unconstitutional and sent the case back to the lower courts. Too often the health care debate focuses on Congress when the real fight is happening between state AG coalitions. 18 Republican AGs stand against the 21 Democratic AGs fighting to save health care, including protections for people with pre-existing conditions, for millions of Americans.
To help drive this message home, DAGA ran a six-figure ad blitz in Indiana, Louisiana, Missouri, Utah, and West Virginia this year to educate voters about the Republican AG efforts to sabotage critical health care. In 2020, Republican incumbents in Indiana, Missouri, Utah, and West Virginia will be on the ballot and health care continues to be a top voting issue in most states.
7) (POD)CASTING CALL: Dem AG Playlist
Democratic AGs and DAGA leadership paraded the podcast circuit this year, appearing on Pod Save America, Pod Save the People, Rewire.News’ Boom Lawyered!, and more.
- New York AG Tish James joined Pod Save America for a live taping where she talked about all things 2020, what the office of Attorney General is doing for the people of New York, and how she is working with her Dem AG colleagues from coast to coast.
- New Mexico AG Hector Balderas joined Pod Save the People for an interview where he talked about the ongoing crisis at the border and how he fights for the people every day.
- DAGA Co-Chair Oregon AG Ellen Rosenblum joined Boom Lawyered! to talk about Dem AG efforts to save reproductive health care and her leadership on the lawsuit to protect Title X funding.
- DAGA Political Director Farah Melendez joined a live taping of the Brown Girl’s Guide to Politics with DNC’s Politico Director Muthoni Wambu Kraal, DCCC’s Executive Director Lucinda Guinn, and DGA’s Deputy Executive Director Wendi Wallace for a panel on women of color working in politics. The panel was moderated by Emerge’s Political Director and co-founder of The Brown Girls Guide A’shanti Gholar.
8) PANELS ON POINT
This year, Democratic AGs were literally center stage at conferences around the country highlighting the work they do together to hold the Trump administration accountable.
In July, Delaware AG Kathy Jennings, Minnesota AG Keith Ellison, and Pennsylvania AG Josh Shapiro talked with Netroots Nation about how they are working together to beat Trump and tackle some of the most pressing issues facing our communities.
In October, Delaware AG Kathy Jennings, Maryland AG Brian Frosh, and Minnesota AG Keith Ellison spoke at the Progressive Strategy Summit to discuss how state AGs are playing an outsized role in protecting the progressive agenda during the Trump era.
This summer, Oregon AG Ellen Rosenblum and Colorado AG Phil Weiser attended Aspen Institutes’ Ideas Festival to discuss “The New Power Players: State Activism and the Rebirth of Federalism” and how state AGs are protecting democracy under a chaotic Presidency and gridlocked Congress.
9) #OneYearOneTeam
As Democratic AGs continue to serve as a crucial check and balance protecting the American people and as DAGA continues to grow, the committee is working hand-in-hand with other Democratic sister communities to move our country forward and elect Democrats up and down the ticket.
In July, Michigan AG Dana Nessel spoke at the DNC’s LGBTQ Community Breakfast when the second Democratic Presidential Debates were held in Detroit, Michigan.
In December, Massachusetts AG Maura Healey spoke at the I Will Vote Unity event in Boston, Massachusetts in an effort to support the Democratic Party and the eventual presidential nominee.
10) NEW YEAR, NEW CO-CHAIRS!
Ahead of the 2020 cycle, DAGA announced big leadership changes for the committee. Massachusetts AG Maura Healey joins Oregon AG Ellen Rosenblum to lead DAGA in 2020, marking the first time the committee will be headed up by two women.
