Connecticut Attorney General William Tong joined a coalition of 19 attorneys general in suing President Trump and the U.S. Treasury to stop DOGE's unauthorized access to the Treasury's central payment system and confidential records, calling it the largest data breach in American history. The lawsuit seeks an injunction to block the expanded access policy and a declaration that it is unlawful.
Seeking an injunction to prevent the Treasury Department from granting expanded access to its central payment system and a declaration that the policy change is unlawful and unconstitutional.
In-house legal teams should review all vendor, customer, and government contracts where the company handles federal payment systems, sensitive personal data (e.g., Social Security numbers, bank details), or confidential U.S. Treasury information. Focus on clauses governing data access rights, confidentiality obligations, system security standards, breach notification procedures, and compliance with federal data protection laws. Contracts may need amendments to restrict unauthorized access, mandate encryption of sensitive data, require immediate breach reporting to the government, incorporate specific federal compliance certifications, and clarify audit rights for government oversight. Pay special attention to any provisions allowing third-party (e.g., DOGE-like entities) access to systems or data, and ensure indemnification covers government data breaches.
Entity
Treasury Department
Also known as: U.S. Treasury
Industry
Financial Services"Treasury Department"
"illegally provided Elon Musk and the so-called 'Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)' unauthorized access to the Treasury Department’s central payment system"
"This is the largest data breach in American history."
$2.0M
Attorney General Tong and a coalition of four other states and the FTC sued Zillow and Redfin after Zillow paid Redfin $100 million to shut down its multifamily rental advertising business and transfer clients to Zillow. The settlement requires the companies to restore competition, with Redfin rebuilding its apartment advertising business, and pay $2 million to the coalition.
Attorney General William Tong sent a letter to the Connecticut Insurance Department urging rejection of double-digit rate increases sought by Anthem, ConnectiCare, and UnitedHealthcare for individual and small group health insurance plans covering about 220,000 people. The letter argues the rates exceed inflationary measures and criticizes the carriers for failing to control costs and for poor claims system management, particularly ConnectiCare's transition to Molina Healthcare.
$275K
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong announced a $275,000 settlement with TaxAct, an online tax preparation company, over allegations that between January 2018 and December 2022, TaxAct improperly disclosed detailed customer financial information to Meta and Google through third-party tracking technologies without notifying taxpayers. The settlement requires TaxAct to pay $275,000 and implement new third-party tracking compliance measures, including a review committee, written policies, a tag monitoring system, and two independent third-party audits.
$4.0M
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong and the Federal Trade Commission announced a $4 million settlement with Manchester City Nissan (Chase Nissan LLC) resolving allegations that the dealership double-charged for 'certified pre-owned' vehicles and collected unauthorized junk fees. The settlement requires payment for consumer redress, prohibits misrepresentations, mandates clear disclosure of the maximum total price, and requires express informed consent for all charges.
Attorney General Tong and a coalition of 21 attorneys general and Pennsylvania filed lawsuits against the U.S. Department of Transportation, FMCSA, and DHS to block demands for the personal information of 17 million CDL drivers. The lawsuits allege violations of federal privacy laws and the Administrative Procedure Act, and seek an emergency order to prevent the data transfer.
Attorney General William Tong and a coalition of 10 attorneys general filed a lawsuit challenging a new OCC rule that preempts state laws requiring national banks to pay interest on homeowners' mortgage escrow accounts. The lawsuit argues the OCC ignored federal court decisions and bypassed safeguards, and seeks to block the rule.