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This week, my office formally announced a civil rights investigation into the emergency response to the Eaton Fire and the disproportionately devastating impact it had on the historically Black neighborhood of West Altadena. The Eaton Fire was one of the deadliest and most destructive fires in California history. It burned more than 14,000 acres, killed 19 people —18 of whom lived in West Altadena — and destroyed more than 9,000 buildings.
Our investigation is driven by one overarching question: Did unlawful race-, disability-, or age-based discrimination result in a delayed evacuation notification or disparities in emergency response for West Altadena?
Good government is built on transparency, accountability, and trust. We should never be afraid to ask hard questions and evaluate if processes and systems we often take for granted are failing certain communities. The families forever changed by the Eaton Fire deserve nothing less than to trust that the institutions charged with serving them will show up for them. They deserve nothing less than our full commitment to finding and sharing the truth. That’s exactly what we aim to deliver.
In your service,
Rob
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Eaton Fire Emergency Response Investigation
 This week, my office formally announced the commencement of an investigation of the emergency response to the Eaton Fire. The investigation will seek to determine whether there was potential race, age, or disability discrimination in the emergency preparations and response in the historically Black community of West Altadena. The Eaton Fire burned 14,021 acres, killing at least 19 people, destroying over 9,000 buildings, making it one of the deadliest fires in California history. The average age of the people who died was 77 years old. We know that evacuation warnings for the historically Black neighborhood of West Altadena came many hours after these same warnings were sent to the rest of Altadena.
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Blocked Trump Administration from Withholding $4.9 Billion in Federal Education Funding
 This week, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California granted our request for a temporary restraining order, ensuring the U.S. Department of Education cannot wrongfully withhold crucial funding from the California Department of Education in a flagrant attempt to target transgender individuals and law-abiding local education agencies. We will not stand by as the Trump Administration attempts to use baseless claims to attack crucial funding for California schools under the guise of enforcing the Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act. We are committed to protecting California schools and securing a discrimination-free educational environment for all students.
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California Won't Let It Go: $2.75 Million Settlement with Disney
 My office announced a settlement with the Walt Disney Company, resolving allegations that the company violated the California Consumer Privacy Act by failing to fully effectuate consumers’ requests to opt-out of the sale or sharing of their data across all devices and streaming services associated with consumers' Disney accounts. Under today’s settlement, Disney must pay $2.75 million in civil penalties and must implement opt-out methods that fully stop Disney’s sale or sharing of consumers’ personal information. Consumers shouldn’t have to go to infinity and beyond to assert their privacy rights. California’s nation-leading privacy law is clear: A consumer’s opt-out right applies wherever and however a business sells data — businesses can’t force people to go device-by-device or service-by-service. In California, asking a business to stop selling your data should not be complicated or cumbersome. My office is committed to the continued enforcement of this critical privacy law.
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Protecting over $600 Million in Public Health Funding
 This week, I was happy to announce that the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois granted our motion for a temporary restraining order, blocking the Trump Administration from terminating more than $600 million in Centers for Disease Control and Prevention grants. The planned cuts exclusively target four Democratic-led states: California, Colorado, Illinois, and Minnesota. The politically-motivated funding cuts would irreparably harm our communities, by hindering our efforts to tackle infectious disease control, emergency preparedness and response, laboratory and pharmacy capacity, food security, and more. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: If President Trump and those who work for him want to stop losing in court, they should stop breaking the law. My fellow attorneys general and I will continue standing up for public health and the well-being of the people we serve. We are confident that the facts and the law favor a permanent block of these reckless and illegal funding cuts.
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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 responded to the firing of Gail Slater, head of the U.S. Department of Justice Antitrust Division, an action that continues the Trump Administration’s attacks on the federal watchdogs responsible for keeping life affordable for Americans.
What this Means to You: Allowing big corporations to raise prices and push competitors out of the marketplace with impunity will only worsen the affordability crisis felt by Americans. From President Trump’s efforts to dismantle the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, to instituting tariffs that have raised prices on nearly everything, and now, firing the head of the federal DOJ’s antitrust office tasked with protecting fairness in the marketplace, it’s abundantly clear: The Trump Administration is more concerned with protecting corporate interests than making life affordable for American families. While our billionaire President may dismiss 'affordability' as a hoax, people across the nation are being forced to pay increasingly higher bills with increasingly emptier wallets. My office has led the nation in consumer protection and antitrust work for decades, and we will continue to do so. While the federal government abandons their obligation to protect Americans, California is standing up to tackle America's affordability crisis.
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Keeping You Safe
 Human Trafficking Awareness month might be recognized in January but for my office, it is not a one-month issue—it’s a year-round fight. Recently, we secured multiple felony convictions of Paul Anthony Gregorio and Xuan Phi Nguyen were secured for defrauding state and local agencies, laundering money, and operating three illicit massage businesses in Sacramento and Placer Counties. The defendants maintained and operated three illicit massage businesses between April 2020 through June 2022 by leasing locations, procuring women to work, posting advertisements for prostitution services and collecting a cash fee from each customer. This case demonstrates California DOJ's commitment to aggressively prosecuting traffickers, holding buyers accountable, and targeting the demand that fuels this inhumane industry. At the same time, we are partnering with law enforcement, community organizations, and victim advocates to ensure survivors have the support, protection, and resources they need to rebuild their lives. Protecting our communities and standing up for victims is and will always be a top priority for my office.
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CARE Corner
 Albert Lord, Community Outreach Manager with the Office of CARE, attended the inaugural 2026 Lunar New Year Parade and Festival welcoming the Year of the Horse. This celebration was supported by the Asian American Museum at Great Park and the City of Irvine and marked the first time that a Lunar New Year Parade and Festival took place at the City of Irvine and Great Park. Albert took a moment to congratulate Jack Toan, Executive Director of the Asian American Museum at Great Park, and enjoyed the festivities. The Office of CARE joins Attorney General Bonta in sending our best wishes for a happy Year of the Fire Horse to all who celebrate!
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Post of the Week
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Video of the Week
 Just a few reasons to love the Golden State.
Happy Valentine’s Day, California!
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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 IV, DMFEA Civil Section
Deputy Attorney General III, Government Law
Deputy Attorney General, Employment Law
Deputy Attorney General IV, Healthcare Rights and Access
Deputy Attorney General IV, Special Prosecutions Section
Bureau Director, Enterprise Services Bureau
Assistant Director, Division of Administrative Services
Quality Assurance Analyst, Bureau of Firearms
Paralegal, Correctional Law
Software Application Developer, Application Development Bureau
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