Skip to content
Main Menu
Utah Attorney General
Search
Attorney General
Sean D. Reyes
Utah Office of the Attorney General
Secondary Navigation

AGO Stands Against Race-Based Regulations for Apprenticeships

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH—Attorney General Sean D. Reyes joined a comment letter to the U.S. Department of Labor regarding its “proposed rule revising the regulations for registered apprenticeships.” The letter, which the State of Tennessee led, notes the coalition’s nationwide concerns over race-based regulations for apprenticeships.

According to the attorneys general, “the proposed rule deviates from the statutory purpose of safeguarding the welfare of apprentices and builds on existing regulations to further entrench an apprenticeship regime dedicated to picking winners and losers based on the color of apprentices’ skin.”

In their letter, the States highlighted “four legal barriers to the type of race-based system the Proposed Rule appears to require.” Those barriers are that “the Department’s imposition of new oversight and data collection requirements on State Apprenticeship Agencies exceeds the scope of the agency’s Spending-Clause authority, [that] the Department’s proposed race-based requirements for apprenticeship program design and administration violate the U.S. Constitution’s Equal Protection Clause, [that] race-based employment decision-making violates Title VII and related civil-rights laws, [and that] ‘what cannot be done directly’ under governing law ‘cannot be done indirectly.’”

The coalition of attorneys general wrote, “As we have previously admonished private employers and the Department of Commerce, neither public nor private employers can lawfully pursue that goal by engaging in racial discrimination, regardless of whether their efforts go under the labels of ‘equity,’ ‘DEIA,’ or other similar euphemisms. Additionally, no federal agency can wield legislative authority beyond that lawfully granted by Congress.”

Joining Utah and Tennessee on the letter were the States of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Read the letter here.

Attorney General Reyes Joins National Fight Against Biden Administration’s Job-Killing EPA Rule

SALT LAKE CITY, UT — This month, Attorney General Sean D. Reyes, Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman, and West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey announced that they filed a lawsuit to block a devastating new air quality rule from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that would raise costs on Utah manufacturers, utilities, and families. AG Reyes and 23 other attorneys general joined Kentucky and West Virginia’s coalition in filing the lawsuit in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.

“The EPA’s new rule has more to do with advancing President Biden’s radical green agenda than protecting Kentuckians’ health or the environment. This rule will drive jobs and investment out of Kentucky and overseas, leaving employers and hardworking families to pay the price,” said Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman.

Even before this heavy-handed new rule, the United States has some of the strictest air quality standards in the world – tougher than the European Union and far more stringent than the world’s worst polluters, including China, India, and Indonesia. Making the standards more stringent wouldn’t improve public health, but it would put as many as 30% of all U.S. counties out of compliance under federal law, leading to aggressive new permitting requirements that could effectively block new economic activity or job creation.

The new EPA rule could:

  • Block the permitting of new manufacturing facilities and drive good-paying jobs out of Utah and overseas;
  • Stop new infrastructure construction and leave Utah families on unsafe and congested roads and bridges; and
  • Require small businesses, farmers, restaurants, and even homeowners to pay for costly new equipment.

The Biden Administration’s ongoing assault on fossil fuels through this rule will make Utah less attractive for future growth.

The rule would weaken the U.S. economy while strengthening our competitors. According to a letter led by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Manufacturers, and 28 other leading industry associations, “lowering the current standard so dramatically would create a perverse disincentive for American investment. The EPA’s proposal could force investment in new facilities to foreign countries with less stringent air standards.”

Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman and West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey are co-leading this lawsuit. AG Reyes joined attorneys general from the following states in the lawsuit: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Wyoming.

Read the Petition here.

Melissa Holyoak Sworn in as FTC Commissioner

On Saturday, March 23rd, former Solicitor General Melissa Holyoak, surrounded by family, friends, and colleagues, was sworn in as a commissioner on the FTC.

While acting as master of ceremonies, Utah Attorney General Sean D. Reyes reflected on his immense pride for his former solicitor general and expressed his hope for the much-needed balance Commissioner Holyoak will bring to the FTC.

The ceremony occurred in the Utah Capitol’s State Reception Room, the Gold Room. The Honorable Melissa Holyoak, standing next to her husband, Dr. Josh Holyoak, and flanked by their four children, was officially sworn in by United States Senator Mike Lee, the senior senator in Utah’s federal delegation.

As solicitor general, Melissa Holyoak was a tireless advocate for the people of Utah; as FTC Commissioner, her advocacy will have further reach and benefit the entire country.

Utah Solicitor General Melissa Holyoak Confirmed to Fill Republican Slot at the Federal Trade Commission
US Senate confirms Republican nominees to FTC

FTC and Utah Lawsuit Results in Over $10 Million in Refunds to Consumers Harmed by Real Estate Investment Training Scheme

Salt Lake City, UT—The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is issuing over $10 million in refunds to consumers who paid for a deceptive real estate investment training scheme that falsely promised significant profits through “flipping” houses.

The FTC and the Utah Attorney General’s Office, on behalf of the Utah Department of Commerce’s Division of Consumer Protection, sued Response Marketing Group, LLC in November 2019, alleging that the company, its affiliates Nudge, LLC and BuyPD, LLC, and its principals used false promises to sell consumers a series of expensive real estate investment training programs. The FTC later named two real estate celebrities as additional defendants—Scott Yancey, the star of the home-flipping show Flipping Vegas, and Dean R. Graziosi, the author of Millionaire Success Habits. According to the amended complaint, Yancey and Graziosi promoted the training programs and were involved in efforts to bury online customer complaints that said Response Marketing failed to deliver on its promises or that it was a scam.  

“Companies that rely on deceitful or manipulative tactics to earn money will not be tolerated in Utah as it not only undermines people’s financial security but also the very trust we have in each other that is crucial to our #1 ranked economy,” Margaret Busse, the Executive Director of the Utah Department of Commerce, stated, “We are pleased that our Division of Consumer Protection’s investigative efforts, along with the cooperative partnerships with the FTC and the Utah Attorney General’s Office, resulted in restitution for affected consumers. We encourage consumers to do research and conduct thorough checks before purchasing.”

“Checks for the first ten million dollars are in the mail. This helps heal at least some of the harm caused at the hands of Response Marketing and the other defendants,” said Douglas Crapo, Director of White Collar & Commercial Enforcement at the Utah Office of the Attorney General.  “Protecting consumers from deceptive practices is essential for fostering an economy based on trust. Our Office is proud to represent Commerce and the Division of Consumer Protection in our concerted efforts with the FTC as we stop bad actors.”

The company and its principals agreed to a settlement that permanently banned them from selling “wealth creation” products and services anywhere in the country and required them to pay $15 million to be used for refunds. Graziosi and Yancey also agreed to settlements requiring them to pay an additional $1.7 million.

The FTC is sending payments to 4,670 consumers. Most consumers will receive checks by mail. Eligible consumers who do not have an address on file will receive a PayPal payment, which should be redeemed within 30 days. In addition, the FTC is sending claim notices to nearly 400 consumers who previously filed a complaint about Response Marketing. Consumers who paid for Response Marketing’s real estate investment training programs may file a claim for a refund.

Consumers who have questions about their payment or the claims process should contact the refund administrator, JND Legal Administration, at 877-871-0474 or visit the FTC website for questions about the refund process. The FTC never requires people to pay money or provide account information to get a refund. 

The Division of Consumer Protection is one of nine Utah Department of Commerce agencies. The mission of the Division of Consumer Protection is to strengthen trust in Utah’s commercial activities by protecting consumers through education and impartial enforcement. The Division administers more than 25 Utah state laws designed to protect consumers. More information can be found at https://dcp.utah.gov/.

Read the FTC press release here.

AGO Joins Brief Supporting Trump’s Presidential Immunity

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – Attorney General Sean D. Reyes joined an amicus brief to the Supreme Court of the United States of America in Trump v. United States. The brief, which was led by the State of Alabama, asks the Court to reverse the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit’s ruling about presidential immunity in the case brought by Special Counsel Jack Smith.

The case concerns whether former President Donald J. Trump is entitled to presidential immunity regarding the alleged actions that are the subject of the case. Both the district and appeals courts ruled against the president’s claims of immunity, leading to the appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. The former president argues that “from 1789 to 2023, no former, or current, President faced criminal charges for his official acts.” The trial in the case is on hold pending the outcome of the appeal.

In their brief, the coalition of attorneys general argue that the U.S. Supreme Court’s “immunity jurisprudence must remain sensitive to the danger of vexatious and partisan prosecutions” and that “the prosecutions of President Trump appear to be partisan.”

The states write, “Unfortunately, the concern that partisans may abuse the justice system is not limited to this case and this prosecutor. There are criminal and civil actions against President Trump around the country, in some cases led by individuals who campaigned on promises to target President Trump. They taunt him and gloat to fawning media. They launch sprawling investigations and scour state codes with one man in mind.”

Joining Utah and Alabama were the States of Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, and West Virginia.

Read the brief here.

Two Former Managers of Evergreen Place Plead Guilty to Exploitation and Neglect

This morning in Third District Court, Jorge Gustavo Gonzalez, Sr. pled guilty to two third-degree felonies (Exploitation of a Vulnerable Adult) and two Class A misdemeanors (Neglect of a Vulnerable Adult). Ignacio Gonzalez-Villarruel pled guilty to two Class A misdemeanors (Neglect of a Vulnerable Adult).

In June of last year, the Medicaid Fraud and Patient Abuse Division of the Utah Attorney General’s Office filed multiple charges against the two managers of Evergreen Place in Midvale. Restitution will include reimbursement to all residents (or the appropriate payors) for rent paid for January 2022, when the defendants collected rent payments despite safety and health violations. Restitution will remain open for the statutory period for possible further claims.

“Our senior population is very vulnerable, and elder abuse is one of the most pernicious crimes we prosecute. Congratulations to Director Wooton, AAG Langdon Fisher, and the AG MFCU team. There’s a reason they were honored in 2023 as the top unit in America by their federal counterparts,” said Attorney General Reyes.

The Medicaid Fraud and Patient Abuse Division of the Attorney General’s Office is steadfastly committed to protecting the State’s most vulnerable adults from abuse, neglect, and exploitation.

Read about the original charges here.

AGO Holds Wells Fargo Accountable for Debanking ESG Policies

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH—Attorney General Sean D. Reyes joined a letter to Wells Fargo’s Chief Executive Officer regarding several debanking policies that Wells Fargo has embraced. The letter, which the State of Montana led, also requests answers from Wells Fargo about its debanking policies and practices and its relationship with BlackRock.

The States write that Wells Fargo “appears to be using debanking as a political tool to extend the policies of the Biden Administration throughout the economy.” They add that the bank has “committed to the Net-Zero Banking Alliance, promising to align their customers’ greenhouse gas emissions in line with aggressive 2030 targets in link with the Biden Administration’s net-zero goals.” In addition, the attorneys general assert that Wells Fargo has “debank[ed] whole economic sectors, institutionalized discrimination by imposing race and sex-based quotas into credit agreements with customers like BlackRock, [and] debank[ed] Republican candidates and gun industry participants.”

In their letter, the attorneys general highlight that the number of American banks has been consolidated, leading to fewer choices for consumers and more leverage for the banks in the form of ESG policies being wielded against customers.

The States accuse the federal government of “exacerbat[ing] this consolidation process in two primary ways.” First, “by passing the Dodd-Frank Act in response to the failures of enormous financial institutions holding trillions of dollars, the federal government imposed heavy regulatory burdens on banks.” Second, “the implicit subsidy from the federal government has given a systemic advantage to larger banks and provided a subsidy estimated to amount to over $100 billion.”

Joining Utah and Montana on this letter were the States of Arkansas, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Ohio, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

Read the letter here.

AG Reyes and a Coalition of States Oppose Biden’s Secret Bargaining with Activists at the Border

SALT LAKE CITY, UT—Attorney General Reyes recently joined Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody and other attorneys general in filing an amicus brief in the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit seeking to keep the Biden administration from using gamesmanship to manipulate a political liability, the border crisis. The Biden administration appears to have decided to abandon its defense of the “Circumvention of Lawful Pathways” rule and is instead seeking a settlement agreement with pro-illegal immigration organizations such as the East Bay Sanctuary Covenant. 

AG Reyes stated:

Instead of enforcing laws already in place to secure our border and protect our country, the Biden Administration now abandons a rule it once promoted as a necessary tool for orderly and legal immigration.

By engaging in closed-door, sue-and-settle negotiations with activist plaintiffs, the Administration leaves no one to defend the rule. This abdication of duty disregards the will of the American People and compels Intervenor states to urgently step into the breach.

I’m proud to join my colleagues in opposing this injustice and defending the Rule of Law at our border.

Following a 2023 challenge and subsequent vacatur of the Circumvention of Lawful Pathways rule, the Biden administration appealed the decision to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth District, arguing the rule was absolutely necessary, “any interruption in the rule’s implementation will result in another surge in migration that will significantly disrupt and tax DHS operations.” Until recently, the administration asked the Court to delay further litigation pending a settlement negotiation. 

Following the revelation of a potential settlement, the attorneys general from Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Kansas, and West Virginia filed a motion to intervene. Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall said, “As the tsunami of illegal immigrants continue[s] to pour across our border, Biden and radical activist groups stymie every reasonable effort to defend our country,”…“People in every state are bearing the burdens of this crisis, yet Biden and his cronies refuse to stand up for Americans. Instead, Biden has launched closed-door settlement talks with activist groups to potentially lock in an agreement that would weaken border security for years to come. My colleagues and I are intervening to ensure that does not happen.”

This week, AG Reyes joined Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody-led coalition of 16 states in filing an amicus brief in support of the Intervenor States, saying, “The Intervenor States seek to protect their own sovereign interests by ensuring the challenged rule stays in effect and is used to mitigate illegal immigration—a defense that undeniably shares a common question of law and fact with the main action. This Court should grant their motion and allow them to…intervene”. 

Along with Utah, the following attorneys general joined the brief: Florida, Arkansas, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, and Virginia.

Read the full amicus brief here.

AGO Joins Letter Regarding Special Rapporteur Visit to the U.S.

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – Attorney General Sean D. Reyes joined a comment letter to the Special Rapporteur on the right to education for the United Nations’ Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. The letter, which was led by the State of Montana, defended American parental rights of educational choice and freedom for their children.

The coalition of attorneys general write in advance of the Special Rapporteur’s visit to the United States of America, informing United Nations officials about their opposition to the Abidjan Principles, which obligate States to provide public education as a human right and to regulate private involvement in education. According to the Abidjan Principles website, this document, which was adopted in 2019, presents “a reference point for governments, educators and education providers when debating the respective roles and duties of states and private actors in education.”

In their letter, the States write that “the Abidjan Principles are also incompatible with the U.N.’s 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which affirms … that parents have a prior right’ to decide what kind of education their children shall receive… Responding specifically to the Nazi regime’s use of Germany’s education system to indoctrinate children into its inhumane ideology, the Declaration said education ‘shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.’ Similarly, the U.N.’s International Covenant on Economic, Cultural and Social Rights states … that private learning institutions must be respected and that parents have a human right to ensure that their children’s education conforms to the family’s religious and philosophical convictions.”

Joining Utah and Montana on the letter were the States of Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Louisiana, Missouri, South Carolina, Texas, and West Virginia.

Read the letter here.

AG Reyes Demonstrates VirTra Training Program to Legislative Interns

Today our interns for the 2024 legislative session capped off their time with the UAGO by participating in our VirTra training program. VirTra is an immersive law enforcement simulation that the UAGO uses to train our law enforcement personnel.

By participating in VirTra immersive modules, trainees get the opportunity to experience a fraction of the pressure that comes with the difficult, life-changing scenarios that our brave LE personnel face every day.

We are grateful for our interns, whose boundless energy and curiosity help our office better serve the people of Utah. They will always be a part of the UAGO family.