News/Events

Says, “I will not sit idly by while other states threaten freedom of speech”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge today participated in a panel discussion on National Institution of Family and Life Advocates (NIFLA) v. Becerra, a California case that will be argued before the U.S. Supreme Court next week. The case centers around the State of California’s attempt to stifle NIFLA’s freedom of speech by compelling the pro-life organization to promote abortion services. California is trying to require pregnancy centers that do not perform abortions or prescribe birth control to notify individuals about contraceptive and abortions offered by outside facilities.

“I will not sit idly by while other states threaten freedom of speech by forcing organizations to promote a procedure that they do not provide, do not believe in and find to be violent and immoral,” said Attorney General Rutledge. “This case will have longstanding ramifications and consequences for the freedoms of all Arkansans and every American. The State should not be allowed to compel speech they have no interest in – it’s absolutely absurd to force an organization to advertise services to which they are fundamentally opposed and do not provide.”

In January, Rutledge joined with 19 other attorneys general and the Governors of Kentucky and Maine in filing an amicus brief in support of NIFLA.

The panel discussion, which took place at the Newseum in Washington, D.C. and was organized by the Alliance Defending Freedom, included Rutledge, Alliance Defending Freedom legal counsel Denise Harle and Constitutional Accountability Center Chief Counsel Brianne Gorod.

LITTLE ROCK – Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge today applauds Governor Asa Hutchinson’s transformation plan, which will reduce the number of state agencies and save Arkansas taxpayers’ hard-earned money.

“Just as I have cut the budget for the Attorney General’s Office, it is time to cut costs across state government. The people deserve a government that not only works for them but works to save taxpayer dollars by cutting extraneous spending. Governor Hutchinson’s plan will ensure that Arkansas does business more efficiently and citizens are better served by the government officials they elect.”

Says, ‘must be changed to recognize the rights of land owners and the States’

LITTLE ROCK – Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge today announced that, in light of a lawsuit filed by Arkansas and 19 other states, the federal government has agreed to reconsider rules that restrict property owners’ use of their own land under the guise of a “critical habitat.”

“I am pleased that the Trump Administration has agreed to reconsider the federal government’s ‘critical habitat’ rules, which have threatened the rights of property owners for far too long solely based on theoretical chance,” said Attorney General Rutledge. “Our wildlife must be protected for future generations, but it is completely unreasonable to give the federal government broad authority to restrict land usage just because bureaucrats in D.C. think an animal might, possibly, one day inhabit that land – even if that land does not have features necessary for its survival. These rules are a clear example of an Obama-era overreach that must be changed to protect the rights of land owners and the States.”

In 2016, federal agencies adopted two new rules that allowed the federal government to designate land as a “critical habitat” for an endangered and threatened species, even if that species did not currently live on that land and if the land failed to possess the biological features necessary for the survival of the species. The “critical habitat” rules even allowed the federal government to prevent activities that could, theoretically, harm habitat features that don’t even currently exist. This is despite stricter standards set forth by Congress, which only allow for unoccupied land to be classified as critical habitat if the currently inhabited land is not adequate to the species’ survival and the unoccupied land is essential to species preservation.

The twenty state lawsuit was filed in November of that year in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Alabama against the U.S. Secretary of the Interior, National Marine Fisheries Service, U.S. Secretary of Commerce and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service challenging the two rules as unlawful federal overreach.

Today’s settlement requires the federal agencies to submit revised rules for public review within 60 days and also retains the states’ ability to file another lawsuit should the new rules perpetuate federal overreach.

Rutledge led this effort with Alabama. They were joined by Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, North Dakota, South Carolina, Texas, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming in the settlement.

$100,000 to go to Consumer Education and Enforcement Fund

LITTLE ROCK – Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge today announced that Circuit Judge Chris Piazza has ordered Florida-based U.S. Business Services LLC to pay restitution to Arkansans and court costs and civil penalties to the State of Arkansas for violations of the Arkansas Deceptive Trade Practices Act.

“U.S. Business Services intentionally deceived and harmed Arkansas businesses with its deceptive practices,” said Attorney General Rutledge. “By using documents that only appeared to be official government tax notices or notifications, this company tricked unsuspecting Arkansas business owners then offered to help those businesses – for a fee. The Court’s order not only requires the company to provide restitution to those businesses that fell victim to the deceit but also suspends the company’s business license in the State of Arkansas and will prevent further harm from these bad actors.”

U.S. Business Services solicited Arkansas businesses via direct mailings and offered to prepare and provide, for a $150 fee, corporate consent records in lieu of meeting minutes that purported to fulfill the requirements of Arkansas law. However, U.S. Business Services selectively quoted portions of Arkansas law to convey only those portions that would legitimize the solicitation, and the mailed documents were specifically designed to appear official in nature and required by a government entity.

The office received 34 complaints about the business practices of U.S. Business Services, and many others contacted the office by phone in order to report the scam. At least seven businesses paid $150 to the company as the form instructed, with four receiving restitution through mediation. After speaking with the Secretary of State’s office, Rutledge learned that it had also received numerous reports, inquiries and complaints regarding U.S. Business Services’ harmful practices. The Arkansas Deceptive Trade Practices Act protects the legitimate business community as well as consumers.

The other three businesses that paid the fee will be paid restitution by U.S. Businesses Services. The company will also pay the State $5,500 in attorney fees and $100,000 in civil penalties to the Consumer Education and Enforcement Fund.