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As I reflect on 2025, I am filled with immense pride in all that my colleagues at California DOJ and I accomplished to protect you, our California values, and the resources our state relies on. From tackling crime and making our communities safer to making life more affordable and standing up to unprecedented challenges from the federal administration, we were busy — proudly so — and it shows. Together we:
➡️ Protected more than $168 billion in federal funding
➡️ Prevented unlawful rent increases, including landing a $7 million settlement with the nation’s largest landlord for participating in illegal actions that drove up rents
➡️ Held the Cities of Artesia, Norwalk, and Huntington Beach accountable to CA housing laws
➡️ Sent more than 700 warning letters to hotels and landlords who were accused of price gouging in the wake of the LA fires, and filed charges against four LA real estate agents and a landlord
➡️ Spurred more housing — since 2021, California DOJ’s Housing Justice Team has led cities to plan for more than 40,000 new units of housing
➡️ Disrupted human trafficking operations — since 2021, we’ve arrested more than 830 individuals on trafficking-related charges and offered support to more than 1,000 survivors
➡️ Rid our neighborhoods of deadly fentanyl — since 2022, we’ve seized 16.4 million fentanyl pills, 7,000 pounds of powder, and made over 580 fentanyl-related arrests
➡️ Combatted organized retail crime, including holding accountable the ringleader of an $8 million organized retail theft scheme spanning 21 CA counties and dismantling an identity theft mill involving an organized retail scheme
➡️ Removed thousands of firearms from the hands of those prohibited from owning them through our unique Armed Prohibited Persons System (APPS) program
➡️ Put over $23 million back into Californians’ pockets through our settlement with gas trading companies SK and Vitol
➡️ Enforced CA’s nation-leading privacy laws, ensuring a mobile app gaming company, streaming service, website publisher, and education software company protect your personal data
➡️ Sued the Trump Administration 52 times, including lawsuits that successfully ended the unlawful deployment of National Guard troops in LA, blocked sweeping voter restrictions, and protected more than $1 billion for CA schools
That is just the tip of the iceberg. I am proud and grateful to work alongside the nearly 6,000 public servants at California DOJ who are dedicated to protecting you and all that makes this state great. As we enter into the new year, we remain committed to making our communities safer, advancing justice, and defending your rights.
Happy New Year!
Rob
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Major Litigation Victory: Ending Federalization and Deployment of California National Guard
 For six months, California National Guard troops have been used as political pawns by a President desperate to be king. From the political display in MacArthur Park to their unlawful participation in indiscriminate immigration raids, the militaristic deployment of National Guard troops to Los Angeles streets has left lasting scars in Angeleno communities. There is a reason our founders decided military and civilian affairs must be kept separate; a reason that our military is, by design, apolitical. Now, in the face of a stinging rebuke by the U.S. Supreme Court, the Trump Administration is abandoning its efforts to federalize and deploy California National Guard troops. I’m incredibly proud of my team, who worked nights and weekends to defend the Constitution and bring about an end to the President’s unlawful overreach of executive power. While the rule of law remains under threat, our democratic institutions are holding. My office is not backing down — and we’re ready for whatever fights lie ahead.
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Stopping Illegal Diversion of Homeland Security Funding
 Last month, we secured a permanent injunction stopping the unlawful reallocation of hundreds of millions of dollars in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Homeland Security Grant Program funding away from states like California based on their adoption of policies the Trump Administration does not like. This is funding California uses to prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from terrorism and other catastrophes. The Trump Administration may go down in history as the most anti-public safety administration in history. I’m gratified the court saw through the President’s flimsy excuses and issued an order that ensures we get the funding we’re legally entitled to.
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Ensuring Trump Administration Stops Delaying Its Review of Medical Research Grants
 This week, we secured a multistate settlement agreement that permanently resolves claims made in a lawsuit I co-led in April challenging the Trump Administration’s unlawful delays in reviewing National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant applications. As part of the agreement, which remains subject to court approval, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) commits to resuming the usual process for considering NIH grant applications on a prompt, agreed-upon timeline. Over the decades, this grant funding has brought humanity the eradication of polio, discovery of genes that cause breast and ovarian cancer, and the transformation of HIV from a fatal disease into one people can live with. I am pleased that the Trump Administration has agreed to stop delaying the review process for NIH grants. That, of course, should have never happened in the first place. Going forward, we remain committed to ensuring HHS fulfills its obligations under the agreement.
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Protecting the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
 President Trump seems intent on making life more unaffordable for Americans — whether by withholding food assistance, pushing policies that would make energy more expensive, or by placing chaotic tariffs on essential items. At the same time, the Administration continues to abandon its responsibility to protect and defend American consumers, dismantling the agency that stands up for consumers against big banks, debt collectors, and credit reporting companies. The Trump Administration’s latest effort to destroy the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) means that hundreds of thousands of consumer complaints will fall on deaf ears. If you have ever had issues with your car loan, mortgage loans, or bank fees, if you have ever disputed a credit score error and expected to have the federal government on your side, this impacts you. It's why we recently filed a lawsuit to demand that the federal government keep up its side of the deal by lawfully funding the CFPB and its critical work.
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Keeping You Safe
 Last month, our Bureau of Investigation-led San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force announced the results of Operation Home for the Holidays. This annual multi-jurisdictional operation combats human trafficking through targeted enforcement utilizing undercover officers to arrest potential traffickers and offer support to survivors. As a result of the multi-day operation, 19 individuals were offered support services and 10 arrests were made. I want to thank our law enforcement partners in the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force who work to support victims, survivors, and their families. Together, we will continue to disrupt human trafficking operations and achieve meaningful results that uplift vulnerable Californians.
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Making Your Life Affordable
 From groceries to gas, costs seem to be rising and rising ... and rising. California DOJ has your back and is committed to protecting California families grappling with the high cost of living. In this segment, find some of the ways California DOJ is protecting Californians — and their wallets.
What We Did: In 2025, California DOJ went after companies, practices, and policies that compounded the crisis of affordability that consumers are feeling, including those spurred by the Trump Administration. We secured a settlement with the nation's largest landlord, Greystar, for participating in illegal actions that drove up rent prices and secured big wins — including anti-theft car devices and money back in consumers' pockets — for consumers harmed by Hyundai and Kia and Google. We challenged the Trump Administration’s unlawful attempt to exclude public servants from public service loan forgiveness and its continued attempts to dismantle the CFPB. We also stood proudly in support of American families and small businesses by filing a lawsuit challenging the Trump Administration’s illegal and chaotic tariffs.
What We Are Doing: In 2026, Californians can expect this work to continue! And remember, you have the power to help protect yourself and your community from those looking to take advantage of your pocketbooks. Filing a consumer complaint with California DOJ is a way to report illegal or unethical business practices that are costing you money. You can also visit our antitrust complaint page to report anticompetitive conduct that potentially violates antitrust laws. While California DOJ does not represent individuals or give legal advice, your complaint may help us investigate or take other legal action to protect California consumers and the public interest.
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CARE Corner
Community members gathered at 'Kwanzaa 7 Principles' hosted by DreamKreator Studios, a Long Beach-based nonprofit, last week. Kwanzaa is an annual observance by approximately 12.5 million Americans from December 26th to January 1st celebrating African cultural pride, community, heritage, and values. It is a non-religious holiday acknowledged by people of all faiths.
This photo includes Kenneth Duckworth, Secretary for 100 Black Men of Long Beach; Greg Johnson, Arts Council for Long Beach; Albert Lord, Los Angeles/Orange County Community Outreach Manager for California DOJ's Office of Community Awareness, Response, and Engagement (CARE); John Malveaux, MusicUNTOLD; Mariea Antoinette, Jazz Harpist; and Pastor Kelvin Sauls, Co-Founder of Black Alliance for Just Immigration.
The Office of CARE was launched at California DOJ in 2021 with a focus on cultivating relationships with historically marginalized and underrepresented communities in line with the Department's commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion in all aspects of its work on behalf of the people of California, including in the fight for environmental, economic, and social justice. To engage with the CARE Community Outreach Manager for your area, please visit our webpage.
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Post of the Week
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FLASH BRIEFING
Attorney General Bonta Files Lawsuit Challenging Trump Administration’s Declaration Attempting to Limit Access to Gender-Affirming Care
Attorney General Bonta Issues Consumer Alert on Price Gouging Following State of Emergency Declaration in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, and Shasta Counties
Attorney General Bonta Releases Informational Bulletin on New Ghost Gun Laws Coming into Effect January 1, 2026
Attorney General Bonta Leads Coalition in Opposing Unlawful Immigration Stops in the Central Valley
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Video of the Week
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 Over the past few weeks, I’ve asked DOJ staff to share a moment they’re particularly proud of from the last year.
Here’s what they said. #2025recap❤️
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Make a Difference at California DOJ
 Apply today to help California 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 Supervisor, DMFEA Civil Prosecutions
Deputy Attorney General IV, DMFEA Facilities Enforcement Team
Deputy Attorney General IV, Health Quality Enforcement Section
Deputy Attorney General Supervisor, Licensing
Deputy Attorney General IV, DMFEA Civil Litigation
Fiscal Analyst, DLE Office of the Chief
Tribal Data Analyst, CJIS Tribal Data Section
Digital Forensic Investigator, DMFEA Investigations Section
Office Support Coordinator, OPS Office of Fiscal Services
Paralegal, Corporate Fraud Section False Claims Unit
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