Schmitt marks over 100 days of action and accomplishments

Press release

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Today, Missouri’s 43^rd Attorney General, Eric Schmitt, released a partial list of the accomplishments of his office, in the just over 100 days since he was sworn in in January.

“When I was sworn in as Missouri’s 43^rd Attorney General in early January, I promised to defend, protect, and advocate for all of Missouri’s six million residents. But, I believe that actions speak louder than words. From taking on alarming violent crime rates in Missouri’s cities to crafting innovative solutions to combating the opioid crisis, I’ve spent my first 100 days working tirelessly to keep my promise to Missourians,” said Attorney General Schmitt. “With a talented and dedicated team behind me, I will continue to forge important relationships, protect Missouri’s most vulnerable residents, and faithfully serve as Missouri’s Attorney General throughout the next 100 days and beyond.”

When he entered office, Attorney General Schmitt made it a point to hire a competent and experienced team to help him fulfill the duties of the office effectively. Schmitt picked Tom Albus and Cris Stevens to serve as his first Assistant Attorney General and Deputy Attorney General for Criminal Litigation, both bringing over 15 years of experience from the United States Attorney’s Office respectively. Schmitt also chose Jeremiah Morgan, former General Counsel for the Missouri Supreme Court, to lead his Civil Division.

Schmitt also made it a point to visit with staff across the state, and has organized meeting with local prosecutors in Kansas City, St. Joseph, Cape Girardeau, Jefferson City, and other areas.

Here’s a snapshot of Attorney General Schmitt’s first 100 days and beyond:

Accomplishments

1. The Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Section secured January settlements with Neiman Marcus for data breaches, Fiat Chrysler and Bosch for adding unlawful “defeat devices” to vehicles, and Medical Device Business Inc. (formerly known as DePuy) for false and misleading statements about metal-on-metal hip implant devices.Those settlements totaled over $5.4 million dollars for the State of Missouri.
2. Attorney General Schmitt filed an amicus brief opposing modern-day debtors’ prisons in the State of Missouri v. Richey as one of his first acts as Attorney General. The Supreme Court ultimately ruled in favor of the Attorney General’s position.
3. The Attorney General’s Office helped to secure a guilty verdict in a quadruple homicide case in Ripley County.
4. The Attorney General’s Office helped hand Mary Doe and the Satanic Temple of Missouri their second loss in the informed consent law decision argued by the Missouri Supreme Court.
5. Attorney General Schmitt helped U.S. Attorney for the Western District Timothy Garrison and his team secure $1 million in restitution and jail time in a Springfield Medicaid fraud case.
6. During Consumer Protection Week, Attorney General Schmitt, along with the Federal Trade Commission, secured a $30 million settlement in a sweepstakes scam fraud, a record for both offices.
7. A Webster County Contractor was found guilty of home repair fraud thanks to the hard work of the Attorney General’s Office in securing a guilty plea.
8. In another settlement with the Federal Trade Commission, Attorney General Schmitt helped to secure $10 million in restitution from a sham charity that purported to help disabled law enforcement officers.
9. Attorney General Schmitt was successful in securing $310,000 in restitution for Medicaid fraud perpetrated against a disabled citizen.

Action

1. Attorney General Schmitt and United States Attorney for the Easter District Jeff Jensen announced the Safer Streets Initiative, an unprecedented cooperative effort between federal and state efforts to combat alarming violent crime rates in St. Louis. Schmitt and U.S. Attorney Tim Garrison later expanded the effort to include Kansas City and Springfield.
2. Additionally, Schmitt recently announced and swore in the five Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys that assist the U.S. Attorney’s Office in prosecuting violent crime as part of the Safer Streets Initiative.
3. Following disturbing media reports of young children fighting in a local St. Louis daycare, Attorney General Schmitt launched an investigation into a purported “daycare fight club.”
4. Along with State Representative David Gregory and State Senator Bob Onder, Attorney General Schmitt announced a statute to more uniformly prosecute and sentence carjackings in the state of Missouri.
5. To help eliminate the backlog of untested sexual assault kits in the state of Missouri, Attorney General Schmitt launched the SAFE Kit Initiative and appointed seasoned Judge Mickey Williams to spearhead the effort.
6. Since the launch of the SAFE Kit Initiative, Attorney General Schmitt has hosted a multi-disciplinary group with law enforcement officials and healthcare stakeholders to discuss the SAFE Kit Initiative moving forward. Judge Williams has also issued Hospital Community Partner Awards to hospitals who have completed 100% of their inventory already.
7. After over 200 complaints were reported, the Attorney General’s Office filed suit against four Florida telemarketers for violating Missouri’s No Call List.
8. To help citizens and members of the media better understand the Sunshine Law, Attorney General Schmitt announced a revamped Sunshine Law booklet and data portal.
9. Following up on a whistleblowers credible allegations, the Attorney General’s Office sued the City of Diamond for allegedly enforcing a ticket quota and contributing to taxation by citation.
10. To better address the opioid crisis and strengthen the State of Missouri’s case against three major manufacturers of opioids, Attorney General Schmitt launched the groundbreaking Real Opioid Pain Initiative, which seeks stories from Missourians who have been affected by opioids. Certain stories may then be used in the State’s lawsuit.