|
This week, we took swift action to stop the illegal misuse of artificial intelligence. We opened an investigation after alarming reports that xAI — the company behind Grok, an AI model used on the social media platform X — was being used to generate nonconsensual sexually explicit images, including material involving minors. My office is seeking immediate action from xAI and accountability under California law.
I sent xAI a cease and desist letter, ordering the company to immediately halt the creation and spread of deepfake nonconsensual intimate images and child sexual abuse material.
Our message is simple: Using AI to exploit, harass, or abuse women and children is illegal. California has zero tolerance for child sexual abuse material, and no company gets a pass because it operates behind a screen or an algorithm.
We will continue to work to ensure that innovation doesn't come at the expense of people's safety and dignity.
|
|
Safeguarding Transportation Funding
 The Trump Administration accepted defeat earlier this week when the U.S. Department of Justice dropped its appeal of the final judgment permanently blocking the Trump Administration’s effort to unlawfully impose immigration enforcement requirements on billions of dollars in annual U.S. Department of Transportation grants. California receives billions in grant funding from the Department of Transportation to build and maintain vital travel infrastructure like the roads, highways, airways, and bridges that connect communities and carry Californians to their workplaces and homes. We’re not playing games when it comes to vital transportation dollars that support our public infrastructure, and we will continue taking the President to court each time he weaponizes federal funding to bully our communities.
|
|
Protecting Veterans Against Claim Sharks
 As a co-sponsor of Senate Bill 694 (SB 694), I’m reiterating the need for critical legislation to protect veterans from claim sharks. Claims sharks are individuals and organizations that are not accredited by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and charge veterans for representation or other services in connection with their benefits claims, often promising a faster claims process or guaranteed benefit increases. While some unaccredited individuals and organizations are well-intentioned, many are predatory and charge exorbitant fees for subpar or worthless services. SB 694 halts predatory individuals or companies that exploit veterans seeking help accessing their benefits. This legislation makes it crystal clear: If you want to charge veterans for help with their benefits claims, you must be accredited by the VA. California will vigorously protect those who have sacrificed so much to protect us.
|
|
Opposing Discriminatory Conditions on Grant Recipients
 This week, I co-led a multistate coalition in a lawsuit challenging new conditions in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Grants Policy Statement and other grant documents that attempt to require HHS grant recipients to comply with President Trump’s executive order targeting transgender, nonbinary, intersex, and gender nonconforming individuals. These changes to HHS’s grant policy are yet another effort by President Trump to unlawfully and maliciously target our LGBTQ+. HHS has overstepped its Constitutional authority and ignored proper procedures in an attempt to codify its hateful agenda. We will continue to fight to protect all Americans’ abilities to thrive without facing unfair roadblocks.
|
|
Holding Plastic Bag Manufacturers Accountable
 We’ve reached settlements totaling $3.35 million with three major plastic bag producers, Novolex Holdings, LLC (Novolex), Inteplast Group Corporation (Interplast), and Mettler Packaging LLC (Mettler), resolving allegations that the companies marketed and sold non-recyclable plastic bags in California. This follows earlier settlements with four other plastic bag producers — Revolution Sustainable Solutions (CA), LLC (Revolution), Metro Poly Corp. (Metro Poly), PreZero US Packaging, LLC (PreZero), and Advance Polybag, Inc. (API) — that were announced in October 2025. Altogether, the seven producers have agreed to pay over $5.1 million in penalties and attorneys’ fees. At the California Department of Justice, we are committed to tackling the global plastic pollution crisis and the corporations behind it.
|
|
Keeping You Safe
 On Friday, my office filed a petition for rehearing en banc in Baird v. Bonta so that California can continue to prevent fear, chaos, and intimidation from taking hold on the streets of our largest cities. Allowing the open carry of firearms in densely populated counties creates unnecessary anxiety, terrorizes children, and instills fear throughout our communities. The number one job of the California Department of Justice is to protect the public’s safety. The open presence of these weapons in urban environments does not make the public safer; it spreads panic and destabilizes daily life. I want to assure the people of California that there is hope. We have made astonishing progress at addressing the threat of gun violence in our state, and you have my word that we will continue the fight. Learn more about how we are working hard to defend California’s commonsense gun laws on our website.
|
|
Making Your Life Affordable
 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: This week, my office applauded the preliminary approval of a class action settlement that, if approved by the court, will require Capital One to provide $425 million in restitution and better interest rates for its 360 Savings customers who were cheated out of higher interest payments on their savings accounts for years. The settlement was achieved as a result of Attorney General involvement and a related Attorney General settlement.
What This Means to You: Simply put, my office has consumers’ backs. Capital One misled consumers through false marketing and a lack of transparency regarding its savings account system, cheating consumers nationwide. Given an opportunity to make loyal customers whole, Capital One sank their teeth in even more, attempting to underpay people it harmed and continue its deceptive practices. My office proudly stepped in and called this out for what it was: unacceptable and hopelessly inadequate. And this week, we celebrated a settlement of more than double what was initially brought to the table. California consumers deserve a fair deal and someone fighting in their corner.
|
|
CARE Corner
 In recognition of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the Office of Community Awareness, Response and Engagement (CARE) attended the Black Chamber Education Fund Future Leaders Luncheon to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial in Washington, DC. Albert Lord, Community Outreach Manager for the Los Angeles and Orange County Region, presented a certificate in recognition of the occasion.
|
|
Post of the Week
|
|
Video of the Week
 The Trump Administration is starting the new year how they ended the last one—with lawlessness, cruelty, and targeting the most vulnerable. We’re starting the new year how we ended the last one—fighting, and winning, in court to protect our people.
|
|
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 III, Tort & Condemnation
Deputy Attorney General Supervisor, Employment Law
Deputy Attorney General IV, DMFEA Facilities Enforcement Team
Deputy Attorney General III, Correctional Law
Deputy Attorney General IV, OGC Ethics Unit
Deputy Director of Legislative Fiscal Policy, Office of Legislative Affairs
Network Engineer, Technology Support Bureau
Field Representative, Bureau of Firearms
Investigative Auditor IV, Consumer Protection Section
Docketing Technician, Legal Support Operations
|
|
|
|
|
