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AG Rokita participates in ribbon cutting for the Possibility Playground in Harrison County

*Liberty in Action *

As Indiana’s Attorney General, fighting for your liberty is my top priority. Below are some highlights of our work!

◊ Reviewing Rokita

◊ Protecting The Lives Of The Unborn

◊ Holding Big Tech Accountable

◊ Taking Action Against The Radical ESG Agenda

◊ Keeping Criminals Behind Bars

How can we help you? Contact our Office [ [link removed] ] for additional information, resources and more. 






REVIEWING ROKITA





Letter to the Editor: Rokita protected trust in Bernard case

Trust is the foundation of the patient-doctor relationship. Without trust, we don’t have reliable, honest healthcare. When a hospital or a doctor makes your private medical information public, that trust is decimated.

Dr. Caitlin Bernard is guilty of harming our healthcare system. She not only broke her oath to do no harm, but violated HIPAA when she exposed her patient’s private medical information to a reporter at an anti-abortion political rally. Her patient was a rape victim and just a 10-year-old little girl who never consented to have her information shared.

Although IU health administrators conducted their own review and found Bernard followed privacy laws, the Indiana Medical Licensing Board disagreed. After a 14-hour hearing, they sided with Attorney General Todd Rokita and determined that the doctor violated HIPAA by improperly disclosing patient information. She received the maximum amount in fines and was publicly reprimanded for her negligence.

This was a big win for the rule of law and patient privacy and will help our healthcare system remain reliable.

Thank you, Rokita, for fighting passionately for this issue. It’s nice knowing we have someone in your position working hard to protect Hoosiers. Hopefully, in the future, doctors like Bernard will think twice about violating the trust of their patients because people like Rokita will be there to hold them accountable.

*Rep. Craig Haggard*

"Thank you for your continued work on the Bernard case. All Indiana physicians need to follow the law, without exception. I write as a faculty member at IU-Bloomington who has been bullied, shamed, defunded, and shunned by colleagues and administrators because of my ethical and religious commitments, including my objection to the use of the IU Faculty Council resources as a platform for pro-abortion propaganda. People without power -- unborn children, medical patients, the politically "deplorable" --  are supposed to keep silent: that's the way IU leadership rolls, as I'm sure you know. Please continue to fight the good fight, especially on behalf of those who are unable to defend themselves." -  Bridget

"Dear Mr. Attorney General Rokita, I subscribe to all of your email updates. I was relieved to read the latest one about your commitment to helping people avoid these kind of ransomware attacks. Again, thank you so much for the advice in the email. I feel relieved to know that you are watching our backs on this issue." - Faith

"Thank you for fighting to save our retirement investments from ESG cartels." - Terren

"Hello. I just wanted to send an email letting Mr. Rokita know our family is praying for him and we support him. We know that he's endured a lot over his Christian stances and we are proud he represents values important to us Hoosiers. He is not alone. My husband, children and I know what he stands for and we are glad he stands his ground. Thank you." - Renate

"Thank you for fighting for the unborn and our freedoms. I know it can't be easy fighting off the far left attacks. We are so thankful for you and that we have a conservative as Indiana's Attorney General. We will be praying for you. God Bless you." - Kevin

"Sir, please know many citizens of Indiana appreciate all you do." - Cara

"Mr. Rokita, I’m so sorry for the harassment that you are experiencing over this! This is truly a spiritual battle! I am praying for you! Thank you for defending our rights!" - Lori

"Just like our friend, Ken Paxton, and so many others... Congratulations and keep up the good fight. The adversary is determined to dismantle, defame and destroy everyone and every institution that doesn't fall in line.  Thanks for all you do." - Hamilton

"Mr. Rokita. I'm writing this to you to simply say thank you for your valuable service to the folks of Indiana. You are doing an incredible job working to protect the interests to the citizens of this state.  Stand strong and know that you are greatly appreciated and don't allow the attacks of the minority liberal progressives deter you. God bless." - Bradley

"Just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate you looking out for the people of Indiana.  You are consistent and I am so thankful!" - Vivian

"Thank you for your stand against ESG. I appreciate your firm stance and, more than anything, your acknowledgement of the fact we need God in our hearts and lives." - Joanne

"I just want to thank you for all you do. I get your emails. Thanks for protecting your fellow citizens of the great state of Indiana." - Leon






AROUND INDIANA

"with Attorney General Todd Rokita"





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Nov. 4: AG Rokita meets with local law enforcement in Evansville over border crisis

AG Rokita had a productive meeting with Evansville’s great local law enforcement leaders about the lawlessness, created by the Biden admin, at our southern border and the horrific impact it’s having on Hoosiers. Cartel members and other criminals are freely entering our country and using I-69 to quickly travel here. This is leading to an increase in drugs on our streets and human trafficking. Rokita said we are addressing this crisis head on and will continue working together to protect our communities.



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Nov. 1: AG Rokita swears in newest DAGs

AG Rokita congratulated Abigail, Alex, Brad, Brendan, John, and Jonathon on recently being sworn in as our office’s newest DAGs. He said we are blessed to gain even more valuable public servants who are ready to work hard for ALL Hoosiers and defend the rule of law.

 



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Oct. 24: AG Rokita participates in ribbon cutting for Possibility Playground in Harrison County

AG Rokita said he was honored to be in Harrison County for the ribbon cutting of the Possibility Playground – the largest all-inclusive fun space for children, regardless of disabilities or mobility in the U.S. Our family was joined by several hundred other attendees celebrating this beautiful project.

 



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Oct. 23: AG Rokita shares the OAG's recent accomplishments in Owen County

AG Rokita said he was happy to be in Owen County with likeminded Hoosiers to share our office’s recent accomplishments! We are continuing to fight for our liberties by protecting patient privacy, safeguarding consumers’ data, and standing up for mistreated tenants.

 



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Oct. 20: AG Rokita educates homeschool students at the Statehouse

While visiting the Statehouse, the Little Arrows Homeschool Group had the opportunity to meet AG Rokita and participate in a fun, little mock trial. Rokita said it was great to educate them on what the OAG does and how we defend Indiana’s laws!







NEWS ABOUT THE OFFICE





Attorney General Todd Rokita’s Statement on Disciplinary Commission Resolution

"First things first: I deny and was not found to have violated anyone’s confidentiality or any laws. I was not fined. And I will continue as Indiana’s duly-elected attorney general.

Despite the failed attempt to derail our work —which could have disenfranchised nearly 2 million voters, the largest amount in Indiana history for any state office candidate — it all boiled down to a truthful 16-word answer I gave over a year ago during an international media storm caused by an abortionist who put her interests above her patient’s.  I received a ‘public reprimand’ for saying that “…we have this abortion activist acting as a doctor— with a history of failing to report.”  

The media, medical establishment and cancel culture, all on cue, supported—and then attempted to vindicate—the abortionist who intentionally exposed personal health information at a political rally all in furtherance of their shared ideological and business interests. 

These liberal activists would like to cancel your vote because they hate the fact I stand up for liberty. In the healthcare space alone, I stopped the vaccine mandate, publicly contested severely flawed Covid data, significantly curtailed Indiana’s abortion business and fined hospitals and healthcare providers for not putting patients’ privacy first. 

Having evidence and explanation for everything I said, I could have fought over those 16 words, but ending their campaign now will save a lot of taxpayer money and distraction, which is  also very important to me. In order to resolve this, I was required to sign an affidavit without any modifications. 

Now, I will focus even more resources on successfully defending Indiana’s laws, including our pro-life laws, and fighting the mob that silences parents, employees, conservative students, law enforcement, Believers of all faiths, American patriots and free enterprise itself. 

As I said at the time, my words are factual. The IU Health physician who caused the international media spectacle at the expense of her patient’s privacy is by her own actions an outspoken abortion activist.

Many know that she openly discussed with a reporter, and caused to be identified, a 10-year-old rape victim at a political rally. She also used this opportunity to wedge herself into various media outlets, including MSNBC and CBS News. In the end, she had the attention of the entire country, including the pro-abortion President and Vice President.

Less well- known is that for years she has appeared as the keynote speaker at pro-abortion rallies and has roamed the hallways of the legislature in a white lab coat attempting to influence lawmakers. Then, in 2019, the doctor unsuccessfully brought litigation against the people of Indiana to legalize a brutal abortion procedure where the living child is extracted piece by piece. She also poses and is interviewed regularly in media outlets and her full-time patient practice focuses exclusively on performing abortions.

Bernard also claims a tattoo —an image of a coat hanger— that she displays and openly discusses with the national media. Whether you think this behavior is good or bad, I challenge any objective Hoosier to conclude that she isn’t an “abortion activist," as I stated.

Also, according to media accounts and complainant press releases, it was in fact publicly alleged well before my tv interview that the abortionist had failed to properly report her work to the state’s department of health. 

Privacy must exist between doctor and patient in order for trust to exist so that healthcare can advance. So, we work hard to protect personal health information—like a little girl’s identity and medical trauma—from publication by their caregivers. This is why Bernard’s own peers fined her the maximum allowed by law. 

By the way, the Office of Attorney General has nearly two dozen patient privacy cases pending at any time, debunking any claims of a vendetta against Bernard.

Had the cancel culture establishment been successful disenfranchising us, they also would have stifled other elected officials from keeping voters, citizens, and taxpayers informed—especially when uncomfortable facts fall outside a preferred narrative. 

I thank Hoosiers for their continued support as we fight for our values."

Attorney General Todd Rokita and team beat the hell out of Satanic Temple’s efforts to sacrifice pro-life law

Attorney General Todd Rokita and his legal team achieved an important win for life and the rule of law this week by successfully securing the dismissal of the Satanic Temple’s lawsuit challenging Indiana’s landmark 2022 pro-life law.

“This lawsuit was ridiculous on its face, but this court decision is important because it sustains a pro-life law that is constitutionally and legally sound,” Attorney General Rokita said. “We Hoosiers continue to build a solid culture of life whether satanic cultists like it or not.”

Following the U.S. Supreme Court’s overturn of "Roe v. Wade" in the 2022 "Dobbs" case, Indiana was the first state in the nation to enact a sweeping pro-life law.

Among other things, the Satanic Temple baselessly argued that Indiana’s pro-life law violated the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) by criminalizing the exercise of the satanic ritual of abortion.

Attorney General Rokita thanked his team for their work on this case, mentioning in particular the strong efforts of Deputy Solicitor General James Barta, Section Chief of Administrative and Regulatory Enforcement Litigation Aaron Ridlen and Deputy Attorney General Rebekah Durham.

Attached are the court order in this case and several briefs filed by Attorney General Rokita’s team during the course of proceedings.


* 60 - Defts' Supplemental Briefing Reply Brief.pdf [ [link removed] ]
* 37 - Dfdt's Memorandum ISO Motion to Dismiss Pltf's First Amended Complaint.pdf [ [link removed] ]
* Court Order Granting Defts' Motion to Dismiss First Amended Complaint.pdf [ [link removed] ]
* 56 - Defendant's Supplemental Briefing.pdf [ [link removed] ]
* 51 - Reply ISO Motion to Dismiss Pltf's First Amended Complaint.pdf [ [link removed] ]

Attorney General Todd Rokita, leader of the first state lawsuit against TikTok, persists in fight to hold tech giant accountable

One day after suing Facebook and Instagram (Meta), Attorney General Todd Rokita and his team recently continued fighting to hold Chinese-owned TikTok accountable in two separate lawsuits that assert violations of Indiana law.

In one complaint, Attorney General Rokita and his team accuse TikTok of luring children to inappropriate content through deceptive labeling. In another, the Attorney General targets TikTok’s collection of  reams of data on app users that ultimately can be shared with the Chinese Communist Party. 

Appearing in Allen County Superior Court, Attorney General Rokita’s team demonstrated why Indiana’s lawsuits against TikTok are necessary to protect Hoosiers.

“TikTok’s false, deceptive and misleading practices pose a clear danger to Indiana users of this app,” Attorney General Rokita said after the hearing. “TikTok’s practices represent the very sort of conduct that Indiana’s consumer laws were written to prevent and prohibit.”

The Allen County court held Wednesday’s hearing to consider TikTok’s motion to dismiss Indiana’s lawsuits. That decision is expected later this fall.

“This company has bamboozled parents into thinking the TikTok platform is safe for children by claiming the app contains only ‘infrequent’ and ‘mild’ sexual content, profanity or drug references,” Attorney General Rokita said. “In reality, TikTok contains such material in spades.”

In addition, Attorney General Rokita said TikTok has deceived app users into believing that their information is protected from the Chinese government and Communist Party when, in fact, TikTok users’ data is subject to Chinese law and may be intercepted by the Chinese government. In a similar move to protect our children from predatory Big Tech tactics, Attorney General Rokita's office joined 41 other states Tuesday in suing Meta for misleading young users. Specifically, Attorney General Rokita and the bipartisan attorneys general cite deceptive data collection practices and Meta's own in-house studies that found their algorithms can addict children to the app.

“In multiple ways, TikTok represents a clear and distinct danger to Hoosiers that is hiding in plain sight in their own pockets,” Attorney General Rokita said. 

Attorney General Rokita seeks emergency injunctive relief and civil penalties. The state is assisted in these cases by outside counsel Cooper & Kirk PLLC.

The lawsuits are attached.


* 2023-6-6 PUBLIC REDACTED IN TikT.pdf [ [link removed] ]
* 2023-06-09 PUBLIC REDACTED IN Am.pdf [ [link removed] ]

Attorney General Todd Rokita continues fight against harmful social media platforms to protect youth from addictive 'rabbit holes'

Recently, Attorney General Todd Rokita and 41 other attorneys general sued Meta in federal and state courts alleging that the company knowingly designed and deployed harmful features on Instagram and its other social media platforms that purposefully addict children and teens. At the same time, Meta falsely assured the public that these features are safe and suitable for young users"."  

“Our children are our most precious God-given gift, as they are our future generation,” Attorney General Rokita said. “This is just the next step in our endless fight to protect our youth from harmful, toxic platforms.” 

The attorneys general assert that Meta’s business practices violate state consumer protection laws and the federal Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).  

These practices have harmed and continue to harm the physical and mental health of children and teens and have fueled what the U.S. Surgeon General has deemed a “youth mental health crisis” which has ended lives, devastated families, and damaged the potential of a generation of young people. 

The federal complaint alleges that Meta knew of the harmful impact of its platforms, including Facebook and Instagram, on young people. Instead of taking steps to mitigate these harms, it misled the public about the harms associated with use of its platform, concealing the extent of the psychological and health harms suffered by young users addicted to use of its platforms. 

The complaint further alleges that Meta knew that young users, including those under 13, were active on the platforms, and knowingly collected data from these users without parental consent. It targeted these young users noting, as reported in a 2021 Wall Street Journal article, that such a user base was “valuable, but untapped.”  

While much of the complaint relies on confidential material that is not yet available to the public, publicly available sources including those previously released by former Meta employees detail that Meta profited by purposely making its platforms addictive to children and teens. Its platform algorithms push users into descending “rabbit holes” in an effort to maximize engagement.  

Meta knew these addictive features harmed young people’s physical and mental health, including undermining their ability to get adequate sleep, but did not disclose the harm nor did they make meaningful changes to minimize the harm. Instead, they claimed their platforms were safe for young users.  

These choices, the complaint alleges, violate state consumer protection laws and COPPA. The federal complaint seeks injunctive and monetary relief to rectify the harms caused by these platforms. 

Multiple states also sued TikTok for similar conduct, following Indiana’s lead.  

A headshot of Attorney General Rokita is available for download [ [link removed] ].  

Meta Multistate Complaint, N.D. Cal. 23-cv-05448 (REDACTED, CONFORMED).pdf [ [link removed] ]

*Attorney General Todd Rokita takes further action to stop ESG hijacking of Hoosiers’ retirement accounts*

*"‘Environmental, social and governance’ agendas threaten account holders’ financial returns"*

Attorney General Todd Rokita is taking further action to stop globalist corporations and their left-leaning allies in government from gutting the retirement accounts of hard-working Hoosiers through discredited ESG investment strategies.

He and 25 other attorneys general are appealing a federal district court’s decision this fall in favor of a U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) rule endorsing the ESG approach.

“This is a David-versus-Goliath battle,” Attorney General Rokita said. “We’re taking on very powerful forces arrayed against the interests of everyday working people. These ESG giants are threatening the future security of millions of retirees. Not only that, but they’re also trying to silence these same people’s voices — seeking to impose upon all of us a leftist social and economic agenda that could not otherwise be implemented through the ballot box.”

ESG investing — the acronym stands for “environmental, social and governance” — prioritizes goals such as mitigating climate change and achieving social justice over the traditional emphasis of maximizing returns for investors.

In January, Attorney General Rokita and other attorneys general sued the Biden administration over the DOL rule — asserting among other things that it runs contrary to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA).

Attorney General Rokita has been a national leader in the fight against ESG investing.

He has issued an official advisory opinion clarifying that Indiana and its investment managers must give priority to the financial interests of state employees and retirees — refraining from using investment strategies guided or influenced by ESG considerations.

Among other actions, he is also investigating three of the largest investment managers — BlackRock, Vanguard and State Street.

This week, Attorney General Rokita thanked his fellow attorneys general from Texas and Utah for their work organizing the multistate coalition filing the appeal.

The original lawsuit from January is linked here [ [link removed] ].

IU student Jill Behrman’s killer to stay locked up after Attorney General Todd Rokita and team prevail in federal court

Attorney General Todd Rokita and his team successfully ensured that the criminal who murdered Indiana University student Jill Behrman in 2000 will remain behind bars.

“The wheels of justice might turn slowly at times, but we take comfort in knowing we have achieved the proper outcome in this case,” Attorney General Rokita said. “This vicious predator attacked and killed a young woman out innocently enjoying a bike ride, and Jill’s family since that time has endured a long and drawn-out investigatory and legal process. They will always mourn their loss, but we pray that God will grant them a measure of closure and peace.”

A U.S. district court this week denied a habeas petition filed by John Myers challenging his conviction for Behrman’s murder. 

Behrman’s remains were found in 2003, three years after her disappearance. Myers was arrested and convicted in 2006.

In 2019, the U.S. district court initially granted Myers’s habeas petition, reversing his conviction and ordering a new trial. His attorneys repeatedly pushed for his early release from prison, even citing COVID-19 concerns in 2020. But the Office of the Attorney General successfully appealed that decision, and the case was remanded for more proceedings — leading ultimately to this week’s decision.

Attorney General Rokita thanked his criminal appeals team, and specifically Assistant Section Chief Jesse Drum, for their work on this case.

This court order is linked here [ [link removed] ].

Killer’s scheming internet searches help Attorney General Todd Rokita and team preserve murder conviction

Attorney General Todd Rokita and his team successfully argued that the ominously specific internet searches conducted by a murder suspect constitute compelling evidence — prompting the Indiana Court of Appeals to affirm a Winchester man’s conviction in killing his lifelong acquaintance.

“The browsing history of this cold-blooded killer painted a clear picture of someone planning to commit murder, to dispose of a human body and to evade authorities by going ‘off-the-grid,’” Attorney General Rokita said. “Combined with other evidence, this kind of internet activity is a very legitimate piece of the puzzle. I’m proud of our team for helping ensure justice in this case and hold a violent criminal accountable under the law.”

According to court documents, convicted murderer Monty Cook, 63, grew up with David Brumley, the victim, and the two men stayed in touch as adults. At some point, Cook began plotting to kill Brumley and steal his prized 2004 Ford Mustang GT show car — crimes he carried out in the fall of 2018.

As court documents recount: “Brumley was found dead in his home on November 3, 2018. His body was lodged between a bed and a wall, and his head was covered by both a pillowcase and a black plastic garbage bag. The pillowcase was secured over Brumley’s head by black electrical tape, which was wrapped around his neck.”

Investigating the murder, police obtained security-camera footage showing Cook depositing the victim’s check at a local bank and driving the victim’s Mustang. They then obtained Cook’s internet browsing history.

In the weeks prior to Brumley’s death, Cook searched such terms as “how to disappear off the grid,” “Is there any poison which cannot be detected,” “can you get DNA from a burned body” and “how fast does it take a body to burn.”

After Brumley’s death, Cook searched such terms as “jobs in Bahamas,” “how to disappear,” “Winchester Indiana murder investigation,” “how to run from the law with no money” and “fugitives on the run the longest.” Cook’s visited website history revealed a distinct obsession with news articles tied to the homicide investigation – just another key fact pointing to a killing, and not just uncanny coincidence.

In its decision affirming Cook’s conviction, the court this week stated that the browsing history was part of an overall sum of evidence that “supports a reasonable inference that Cook was the person who knowingly or intentionally killed Brumley.”

Attorney General Rokita thanked his criminal appeals team, and specifically Deputy Attorney General Steven Hosler, for their work on this case.

The court’s decision is linked here [ [link removed] ].






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