Attorney General Bob Ferguson was our guest speaker at our meeting on Friday, July 12th. Ferguson is the 18th Attorney General of Washington Staate. As the state's chief legal officer, he is committed to protecting the people of Washington. Ferguson is a fourth-generation Washingtonian, a graduate of the University of Washington and New York University law school. He and his wife Colleen are the parents of 11 year old twins.
The Washington Attorney General's Office is made up of 27 legal divisions located in 12 different cities across the state. The office consists of more than 500 attorneys and more than 600 other employees providing legal services to more than 230 state agencies, boards and commissions. Its specific duties include representing the State of Washington before the United States Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals and trial courts in cases that involve the state's interest. Other duties include advising the Governor, members of the Legislature and other state officers on legal issues and giving written opinions on constitutional or legal questions.
Ferguson is a native of Skagit County and an avid hiker. He has summited the highest peaks in 45 states, given talks to 158 of the state's 185 Rotary Clubs and talked about Rotary's involvement in the communities they serve. Some of the issues the Attorney General's Office is working on are cases against Comcast regarding their Service Protection Plan which charges a monthly fee of $5.00 leading to a $10 million dollar settlement. Another important case involves suing the three pharmaceutical companies who distribute opioids which has reached epidemic proportions in many communities across Washington and the United States.