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On February 7, the Trump Administration attempted to unlawfully decimate funding for medical and public health research that is helping to develop new cures and treatments for diseases like cancer and Alzheimer’s.
This week, alongside 21 of my fellow attorneys general, I sued President Trump. Within hours of our suit, a judge granted our request for a temporary restraining order and blocked the funding cuts.
If Trump had his way, funds rightfully due to the University of California and California State University systems, as well as private universities in our state, would have been at risk — putting countless California jobs in jeopardy, including scientists, scholars, medical professionals, and workers who help the research institutions and labs function. In addition to the hit on California workers, the cuts would have suspended lifesaving critical trials and research programs.
Our case is far from over, but one thing is for sure: I refuse to allow the Trump Administration to break the law and stymie the extraordinary work being done at California’s leading institutions.
In solidarity,
Rob
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Blocking Funding Cuts for Universities and Research Institutions
 Filed in the U.S. District Court for Massachusetts, our lawsuit challenges the Trump Administration’s attempt to unilaterally cut “indirect cost” reimbursements at research institutions throughout the country. The reimbursements from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) cover expenses to facilitate biomedical research, like lab, faculty, infrastructure, and utility costs. In Fiscal Year 2023, the University of California system received a total of over $2 billion in NIH contract and grant funding. In the last audited year, California State University campuses received approximately $158 million in NIH funds. I am pleased that the federal district court promptly granted our request for a temporary restraining order.
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Challenging Elon Musk’s Unconstitutional Exercise of Power
 Elon Musk does not occupy a position that Congress created or that the Senate confirmed — Mr. Musk occupies a position the President made up. This is a clear and dangerous effort to bypass the nomination and confirmation process required under the U.S. Constitution. As part of a coalition of 14 attorneys general, I filed a lawsuit this week challenging Mr. Musk’s unlawful exercise of power. He has unraveled federal agencies, accessed sensitive data, and caused widespread disruption for state and local governments, as well as critical systems that the American people rely on daily.
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Securing Preliminary Injunction in Birthright Citizenship Case
 President Trump may believe that he is above the law, but the preliminary injunction my fellow attorneys general and I secured from the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts this week sends a clear message: He is not a king, and he cannot rewrite the Constitution with the stroke of a pen. The President and his allies made clear long before he was sworn in that they would pursue this illegal action, and our coalition was prepared to challenge it as soon as President Trump fulfilled this unconstitutional campaign promise on Inauguration Day.
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Protecting the Right to Vote
 Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber, Ph.D. and I continue to assert that Huntington Beach’s Measure A is illegal. Measure A amended the city’s charter to purportedly allow the city to impose additional voting restrictions prohibited by state law for all municipal elections starting in 2026. This week, we asked a state appellate court to hear our case on the merits now, instead of waiting. With preparations for the 2026 elections beginning late this year, time is of the essence. As we have said repeatedly, our elections are already secure, and applicants who register to vote in California are already required to verify their identity during the registration process.
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Keeping You Safe
 In addition, this week I announced the arrests and filing of felony charges against four individuals for allegedly operating two residential brothels in Sacramento County, laundering money, conspiracy, and tax evasion. During the operation, six survivors were offered resources and services. This case is an example of the California Department of Justice’s continued dedication to dismantling criminal networks and standing with survivors on their path to recovery and justice. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to all our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners who played a crucial role in achieving this significant outcome.
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Making Your Life Affordable
 From groceries to gas, costs seem to be rising and rising ... and rising. CA DOJ has your back and is committed to protecting California families grappling with the high cost of living and the struggle to keep costs down. In this segment, find some of the ways CA DOJ is protecting Californians — and their wallets.
Case Study: The Attempted Kroger-Albertsons Merger
What We Did: In 2024, my office successfully prevented a disastrous megamerger between Kroger and Albertson’s — the nation’s two largest supermarket chains.
What This Means to You: A merger between these two supermarket behemoths would have led to less competition and higher food prices. In California, the two chains own nearly 800 stores and provide jobs to nearly 48,000 workers, under the banners of Ralphs, Food 4 Less, Foods Co., Albertsons, Andronico’s, Safeway, and Vons. Especially in Southern California, Kroger-Albertsons would have become the one-stop shop option for groceries. We’ve seen time and time again that when massive companies dominate the market, the companies are the only ones that benefit — leaving consumers and workers in the dust.
The end of the Kroger-Albertsons merger helped prevent grocery prices from surging even more and ensured California shoppers have options about where to shop.
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Post of the Week
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FLASH BRIEFING
Attorney General Bonta: Court Orders Trump Administration to Immediately Restore All Frozen Federal Funding
Attorney General Bonta Provides Guidance for Businesses on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Initiatives in the Workplace
Attorney General Bonta, State Attorneys General Issue Statement Regarding the Vice President’s Comments on Judicial Review on February 9, 2025
Attorney General Bonta Files Amicus Brief in Support of Challenge to Trump's Executive Order Banning Transgender Servicemembers
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Photo of the Week
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Make a Difference at California DOJ
 Apply today to help CA DOJ protect the health, well-being, and public safety of Californians. Check out our featured jobs below and visit oag.ca.gov/careers for a full listing of available positions:
Deputy Attorney General III, Licensing
Deputy Attorney General IV, Antitrust Law
Deputy Attorney General IV, Healthcare Rights and Access
Deputy Attorney General IV, Facilities Enforcement Team
Deputy Attorney General IV, Office of General Counsel
Senior Assistant Attorney General, Natural Resources Law Section
Director, Office of Native American Affairs
Senior Assistant Attorney General, Native American and Tribal Affairs Section
Senior Assistant Attorney General, Environmental Justice and Protection Section
Statistical Data Manager, Criminal Justice Statistics Center
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