Attorney General seeks litigation funding, highlights Meta trial and consumer recoveries
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Summary
Attorney General told the committee that expanding litigation capacity and allowing greater use of consumer settlement funds would let the office defend federal funding streams and pursue cases against big tech and other actors; the AG noted jury selection was underway in a state case against Meta.
The Attorney General told the Senate Finance Committee that the office has increased its civil and criminal work to protect state programs and seek recoveries and asked appropriators for additional litigation bar authority and a $4.5 million special appropriation for extraordinary litigation expenses.
The AG said his office has safeguarded about $891 million against proposed federal budget cuts and that nearly $12 billion more is at potential risk in other matters. He told senators the office has an active state-led trial against Meta alleging harms to children and cited the need to fund impact litigation and expand capacity to pursue big tech and AI-related cases. "If we are successful in our litigation against Meta... we will be seeking in addition to substantial financial penalties, a change fundamentally in the way that they do business," he said.
Why it matters: The office argued that increased funding and more discretion over the consumer settlement fund would allow the agency to staff up in high-return enforcement areas (antitrust, consumer protection, technology harms) and to defend federal funding streams at state trial. The AG proposed tapping a larger unrestricted share of the consumer settlement fund to build a sustainable enforcement model that funds future recoveries.
Supporting details: LFC and DFA analysts reviewed options in the packet presented: LFC recommended $3 million for extraordinary litigation expenses while HAFC increased the special to $4.5 million. The AG said the consumer settlement fund has grown substantially in recent years and that some recoveries may be restricted by court order while others can be appropriated as unrestricted funds for broader use.
Next steps: Senators asked the AG’s office for additional material and for a litigation budget for long-term matters such as possible suits against the federal government or multiyear tobacco litigation. The AG agreed to provide more specific recoveries and case counts and to work with the committee on a sustainable funding approach.