| HARRISBURG—The Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General is today announcing the release of a comprehensive report summarizing the accomplishments and reforms of the Office during Attorney General Shapiro’s first term ahead of the Attorney General’s swearing-in ceremony.
“This report tells the story of the hard work of public servants and employees of the Office of Attorney General over the past four years,” said AG Shapiro. “They have been laser-focused on serving the people of the Commonwealth and taking on the important work that has allowed us to succeed. I am thankful for all of them, and I am looking forward to continuing this work on behalf of the people of Pennsylvania.”
The report highlights the work of each section of the Office of Attorney General and the progress that has been made in the years since Attorney General Shapiro took office in 2017. It details the efforts that the team at the OAG has undertaken to both encourage trust from and demonstrate integrity and accountability to Pennsylvanians. Examples from this report include:
- Living Out Our Core Values: Since taking office, AG Shapiro has hired 477 new employees including 290 women, Black, Hispanic and Asian individuals to serve our Commonwealth—which accounts for 60 percent of all hires. That compares to 45 percent of all hires in 2016. The Office of Attorney General also hired its first Diversity and Inclusion Officer.
- The Big Fights: In 2018, AG Shapiro revealed the results of an extensive, two-year grand jury investigation into the Catholic Church that continues to bring national and international attention to abuse scandals and the extensive efforts by bishops and Vatican officials to hide this abuse.
- Protecting Consumers from Fraud and Scams: The Office of Attorney General has fielded 99,932 total complaints since AG Shapiro took office, including 37,568 from seniors. This is a 27 percent total increase over prior administration with a 40 percent increase for seniors.
- Combating the Opioid Epidemic: In 2019, Attorney General Shapiro sued Purdue Pharma, the manufacturers of Oxycontin, which is a popular and highly addictive painkiller. AG Shapiro followed that lawsuit with separate litigation alleging that members of the Sackler family, who own Purdue Pharma, are personally liable for the opioid crisis.
- Fulfilling and Expanding OAG’s Mission: In 2017, AG Shapiro created the Office of Attorney General’s first Fair Labor Section, whose work was critical to protecting Pennsylvanian workers against many of the unfair and illegal administrative rules promulgated by the Trump Administration.
The full report can be found on the OAG website. |
