Attorney General Jay Jones announced on Mar. 20 that he has joined a coalition of 19 state attorneys general in support of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) as it challenges demands from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for extensive internal information.
The coalition filed an amicus brief backing the AAP’s lawsuit, which seeks to block the FTC’s Civil Investigative Demand for details about its deliberations, personnel, communications, advocacy, educational programs, and finances. The attorneys general argue that these demands are politically motivated and could undermine evidence-based public health guidance relied upon by states.
“Continuing in its chaotic and unlawful overreach, the Trump Administration is again putting its own political agenda above the health and safety of Virginia’s families,” Jones said. “Virginia agencies and organizations rely on the evidence-based research long provided by the AAP to issue health and safety guidance to Virginians and their healthcare providers. This politically motivated move puts the federal government at odds with scientific research and instead puts real Virginians who need and deserve it at risk of losing access to life-saving healthcare. We cannot and will not allow Donald Trump to continue to undermine professional guidance to politicize our children and our healthcare. My office will use every tool at our disposal to stop this federal overreach and keep Virginians safe.”
The brief highlights that states depend on expert pediatric guidelines like those from AAP to shape policies for preventing and treating childhood illnesses. The attorneys general say that interference from federal authorities could compromise this process. They also assert that targeting AAP fits a broader pattern by the Trump administration of rejecting established medical recommendations on issues such as nutrition or medication safety during pregnancy.
The Attorney General of Virginia supports civil rights enforcement, victim assistance programs, legal counsel for state agencies, public safety initiatives, constitutional rights defense, human trafficking prevention, domestic violence advocacy, and consumer protection resources including identity theft services according to the official website. Miyares holds the position as the 48th Attorney General of Virginia according to official records, serving all residents across the Commonwealth.
Joining Jones in filing the brief are attorneys general from California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington. The coalition is urging a preliminary injunction against further FTC investigative actions.
