Portland, OR — On Jan. 21, attorneys general from five states gathered at Revolution Hall in Portland, OR, to mark the one-yearanniversary of the first multistate lawsuit challenging what they described as unlawful federal overreach, outlining their coordinated legal strategy and hearing directly from community members affected by federal policies.

Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield hosted the Federal Oversight and Accountability Town Hall, joined by attorneys general from California, Hawaii, Maine and Minnesota.

The event focused on federal oversight, constitutional accountability and the role of state attorneys general in challenging executive actions through the courts.

“A year ago today, we, as a coalition, filed our very first lawsuit,” Rayfield said. “That was less than 24 hours after the president took office and started issuing a ton of unconstitutional and unlawful executive orders.”

Rayfield said Oregon has participated in 53 lawsuits over the past year, litigation he said protected approximately $4.6 billion in federal funding for the state.

“We shouldn’t have to be talking about the amount of lawsuits that we’ve had to file,” Rayfield said. “But I’m absolutely proud tohave such amazing partners in all of the Democratic attorneys general to stand up for these essential values.”

Joining Rayfield were California Attorney General Rob Bonta, Hawaii Attorney General Anne Lopez, Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey, and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison.

Bonta said California filed 54 lawsuits during the past year and prevailed roughly 80% of the time, securing multiple injunctions and final rulings.

“If he breaks the law, we sue. If he doesn’t break the law, we don’t sue,” Bonta said. “It’s really that simple.”

Bonta said those cases protected $188 billion in federal funding for California and safeguarded programs affecting food assistance, health care and education.

“We are going to protect and defend the rule of law, our democracy, your rights, and your freedoms,” he said.

Lopez emphasized the scale of collaboration among Democratic attorneys general, noting that offices across the country communicated nearly daily throughout the past year.

“Our staff, our lawyers and our staff have been passionate and committed, and they have continued to talk on the phone five days a week for the last 365 days,” Lopez said.

She said Hawaii joined 36 multistate cases and prevented more than $1 billion in congressionally appropriated funding from being withheld.

“If we don’t know what the injuries are, if we don’t know what the experiences are, then we’re blindfolded,” Lopez said, explaining why public testimony was critical to future legal action.

Frey framed the litigation as a constitutional obligation rather than a political choice.

“The oath that we took as the chief legal officers of our states is to make sure that our citizens enjoy every single right that the Constitution promises,” Frey said.

Ellison described what he said was an escalation of federal immigration enforcement in Minnesota, alleging civil rights violationsand economic disruption tied to increased federal activity.

“They’re harassing everybody in our state,” Ellison said. “People who are citizens, people who are not citizens but who have legal status.”

Ellison also criticized the U.S. Department of Justice for declining to investigate the death of Renee Macklin Good, a Minnesota woman killed while monitoring law enforcement activity, calling the decision “disturbing” and a failure of accountability.

Following remarks from the attorneys general, community members testified about impacts ranging from immigration enforcementto child care funding cuts, urging continued legal action and coordination among states.

Rayfield closed the event by calling on residents to remain civically engaged and vocal.

“This is a partnership in all communities,” Rayfield said. “You have a voice. You must exercise it.”