{"id":2366263,"date":"2024-11-08T16:21:53","date_gmt":"2024-11-08T21:21:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ago-hires-incoming-ags-private-law-firm-to-defend-it-from-potential-lawsuit-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2024-11-08T16:23:44","modified_gmt":"2024-11-08T21:23:44","slug":"ago-hires-incoming-ags-private-law-firm-to-defend-it-from-potential-lawsuit-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ago-hires-incoming-ags-private-law-firm-to-defend-it-from-potential-lawsuit-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"AGO hires incoming AG\u2019s private law firm to defend it from potential lawsuit &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">32<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fago-hires-incoming-ags-private-law-firm-to-defend-it-from-potential-lawsuit-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2366263&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The Washington State Attorney General&#8217;s\u2063 Office, led by Bob Ferguson, has entered into a $250,000 contract with Pacifica Law Group to defend against a \u2063potential lawsuit related to a $42 million tort claim filed by Bob Scales, CEO of Police Strategies. The claim, \u200doriginally submitted in \u200cJuly \u2063to the Office of Risk Management, \u2063was assigned to \u2064the AGO&#8217;s Tort Claim Division. The contract, \u200dsigned\u2064 on August 18,\u2062 involves Zack Pekelis, the lead attorney at Pacifica Law Group and a former AGO employee, along with incoming Attorney General Nick Brown. Scales has \u200dcriticized the handling of his claim, suggesting that\u200d the contract could lead to unnecessary costs borne by taxpayers for litigation\u200d that may not even occur. Nick Brown was elected Attorney General and will assume office in January, while Ferguson is set to become governor.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">AGO hires incoming AG&rsquo;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-backtracks-on-demand-for-trump-appointed-prosecutor-to-resign\/\" title=\"Biden Backtracks on Demand for Trump-Appointed Prosecutor to Resign\">private law firm<\/a> to defend it from potential lawsuit<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1877012\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>(The Center Square)&nbsp;&ndash; Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson&rsquo;s office has signed a $250,000 contract with Pacifica Law Group, which is headed by Zack Pekelis, a former AGO employee, and includes incoming Attorney General Nick Brown, to defend it in a potential lawsuit stemming from a $42 million tort&nbsp;<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thecentersquare.com\/washington\/article_96e8348c-445d-11ef-8691-33b5752fb1c1.html\">claim<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>The tort claim filed by Police Strategies CEO Bob Scales in July was originally filed with the Office of Risk Management, which was then assigned to the AGO&rsquo;s Tort Claim Division. The AGO&rsquo;s contract with Pacifica Law Group was signed on Aug. 18 between Pekelis and AGO Deputy Attorney General Kristen Mitchell.<\/p>\n<p>In an email to The Center Square, Scales argued that &ldquo;not only is this an inappropriate and probably illegal way to handle my tort claim, it gives Pacifica Law Group a blank check to <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\">start billing state taxpayers<\/a> for reviewing document and preparing for litigation that may never happen.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pacificalawgroup.com\/attorneys\/zach-pekelis\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Pekelis<\/strong><\/a>&nbsp;is Pacifica Law Group&rsquo;s lead attorney. He who worked as the Washington state assistant <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/breaking-ag-barr-authorizes-federal-prosecutors-to-pursue-substantial-allegations-of-voting-irregularities-before-2020-election-is-certified\/\" title=\"BREAKING: AG Barr Authorizes Federal Prosecutors to Pursue &quot;Substantial Allegations&quot; of Voting Irregularities Before 2020 Election is Certified\">attorney general<\/a> between 2018-2021. One of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wi-city-looks-to-tap-leftist-lawfare-attorneys-ahead-of-election\/\" title=\"WI City Looks To Tap Leftist Lawfare Attorneys Ahead Of Election\">law group&#038;rsquo<\/a>;s&nbsp;<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pacificalawgroup.com\/attorneys\/nicholas-brown\/\">partners<\/a><\/strong>&nbsp;is Nick Brown, who was elected to attorney general by Washington voters during the November election; Ferguson will be taking over the governorship in January after defeating Republican Dave Reichert.<\/p>\n<p>Scales has accused the AGO and Washington State University of racketeering stemming from a police use of force database project authorized by the state Legislature in 2021. SB 5259 assigned oversight of the project to the AGO, which was directed to engage in a competitive bidding process in which institutions of higher learning were invited to bid on the contract.<\/p>\n<p>Scales alleges that AGO and WSU employees colluded to ensure that the university, a client of the AGO that has a division office on the campus, would be awarded the contract. Scales&rsquo; Police Strategies was a potential subtractor with Seattle University, which chose not to submit a bid. Ultimately, WSU was the only institution to bid on the project.<\/p>\n<p>As part of his ongoing feud with AGO and WSU, Scales has leveled complaints against employees of both entities. The complaints against the AGO were handed to the State Ethics Board, staffed and run by members of the AGO, which found no wrongdoing. Complaints against WSU employees were informally dismissed by WSU President Eric Schulz, who has no formal role in handling ethics complaints, before Provost President Elizabeth Chilton contacted Scales and said she would investigate the matter.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1877012\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1877012\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>AGO contracts Pacifica Law Group for potential lawsuit defense<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2366264,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/AP24014160536170-1024x683.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[12323,44643,44642],"class_list":["post-2366263","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner","tag-ago","tag-lawsuit-defense","tag-private-law-firm"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/AP24014160536170-1024x683.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2366263","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2366263"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2366263\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2366267,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2366263\/revisions\/2366267"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2366264"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2366263"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2366263"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2366263"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}