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Press Releases

AG Donovan Announces National Settlement in Principle with Purdue Pharma and Sacklers of Up To $6 Billion

Date
March 3, 2022

Court Approval Required

Attorney General T.J. Donovan today announced a national settlement in principle with Purdue Pharma and its owners, the Sackler family, for their role in the opioid crisis, that will increase the amounts of funds paid by the Sacklers from $4.325 billion under the original bankruptcy plan to at least $5.5 billion. The settlement is subject to court approval.

Attorney General Donovan Announces 2nd Annual Earth Day Essay Challenge for Vermont’s 5th and 6th Graders

Date
January 31, 2022

Contact: Charity R. Clark, Chief of Staff, 802-828-3171

Attorney General T.J. Donovan is asking to hear from young Vermonters about their thoughts on the environment. For the second year in a row, the Attorney General’s Office is holding an Earth Day Essay Challenge and asking 5th and 6th graders to submit essays on the environment.

Statement from Attorney General Donovan on Judge’s Decision Rejecting the Purdue Bankruptcy Plan

Date
December 17, 2021

“I am pleased with the Court’s ruling rejecting the Purdue bankruptcy plan which would have dismissed Vermont’s legal claims against the Sackler family. This ruling gives Vermont the ability to continue to pursue those that helped create the opioid crisis.”

5 Tips on Giving Wisely This Holiday Season

Date
December 16, 2021

Thinking about giving this holiday season? Here are five tips to help ensure that your contribution is going to a charity in need for a cause you support.

1- Research the charity. Understand how your money will be used by the charity before you donate. Websites like the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance and Charity Navigator make it easy to find this information.

Westminster Man Charged with Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Materials

Date
October 7, 2021

Attorney General Thomas J. Donovan announced today that Jason Muxlow, 42, of Westminster, Vermont was arraigned on October 5, 2021 on five felony counts of possession of child sexual abuse materials. According to documents filed with the court, the Vermont’s Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce (VT-ICAC) received a CyberTip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children which indicated that someone had uploaded images containing child sexual abuse material to various online platforms.

Attorney General Donovan Co-Leads Bipartisan Coalition in Supporting Hearings on Social Media use by Kids

Date
October 5, 2021

Contact: Charity R. Clark, Chief of Staff, (802) 828-3171

Letter Expresses Concern About Companies’ Knowledge of Dangers to Youth, Especially Girls

Attorney General T.J. Donovan is co-leading a bipartisan coalition of 52 attorneys general expressing strong support for the hearings being conducted by the U.S. Senate Committee addressing protection and safety of kids and teens using social media.

Attorney General Donovan Responds to Facebook’s Decision to Pause Development of “Instagram Kids”

Date
September 27, 2021

Contact: Charity R. Clark, Chief of Staff, (802) 828-3171

After a letter sent by Attorney General T.J. Donovan and other attorneys general in May, Facebook today announced that it will pause its development of its Instagram app designed for children, “Instagram Kids.”

Vermont Supreme Court Holds that Vermonters Stopped by Border Patrol Agents are Protected by the Vermont Constitution

Date
September 24, 2021

CONTACT:  Charity R. Clark, Chief of Staff, 802-828-3171

In a significant decision issued today, the Vermont Supreme Court held that the Vermont Constitution protects Vermonters accused of a crime in state court, even when the evidence leading to the criminal charge was first obtained by a federal border patrol agent on “roving patrol” near the Canadian border.

Vermont to Receive $165,000 from Online Vaping Retailers

Date
August 3, 2021

Attorney General T.J. Donovan today announced that his office has reached settlements with three different online sellers of electronic cigarettes for violations of Vermont’s Delivery Sales Ban and Consumer Protection Act. Under the settlements, the companies resolved claims that they sold electronic cigarettes, e-liquids, or other tobacco paraphernalia to individual consumers. As of July 1, 2019, it is illegal to sell electronic cigarettes and related vaping products over the internet to individual Vermont consumers.

Statement by Attorney General T.J. Donovan on Koffee Kup Decision Regarding Paid Time Off (PTO)

Date
July 14, 2021

Contact: Charity Clark, Chief of Staff, 802-828-3171

I am very pleased with the decision by Chittenden Superior Court today that the outstanding vacation time and paid time off (PTO) of the terminated workers at Koffee Kup Bakery and Vermont Bread Company amounts to wages that must be paid. These hardworking Vermonters are entitled to these funds rightfully earned.

In addition, I am pleased that the Court ordered payment of interest for these funds, which were rightfully owed to employees given the significant delay in payment.

Statement by Attorney General T.J. Donovan Regarding Vermont’s Opposition to Purdue Bankruptcy Plan

Date
July 8, 2021

I do not support the proposed Purdue Pharma bankruptcy plan because it does not sufficiently hold the Sackler family accountable. The Sacklers are the founders and owners of Purdue Pharma, which sparked and fueled the opioid crisis. Through this bankruptcy plan, the Sacklers are leveraging their enormous wealth to obtain the protection of the bankruptcy court by having the court extinguish the states’ claims against the Sacklers.

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