Attorney General Jay Jones announced on March 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 what they describe as politically motivated investigative demands by the FTC.
The case is significant because it centers on whether federal agencies can require professional medical organizations to disclose sensitive deliberative and operational details, potentially affecting how states access expert guidance for public health policy. According to Jones, “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.” He said that Virginia agencies rely on evidence-based research from the AAP to guide healthcare decisions and warned that “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 attorneys general argue that states depend on organizations like the AAP for up-to-date medical recommendations, which inform policies addressing childhood illnesses across their jurisdictions. They say that interference from federal authorities could compromise both the quality and accuracy of such guidance. The brief also claims that targeting the AAP fits a broader pattern by the Trump administration of rejecting widely accepted public health advice.
The coalition is asking the court for a preliminary injunction to halt further FTC demands while litigation proceeds. Other states joining Virginia include California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and the District of Columbia.
The Attorney General of Virginia supports civil rights enforcement and victim assistance programs according to its official website. The office also provides legal counsel to state agencies while promoting public safety and defending constitutional rights as detailed online. Miyares holds the position as the 48th Attorney General of Virginia according to official records, serving all residents across the Commonwealth as reported by state sources. The office addresses issues such as human trafficking and domestic violence through legal advocacy according to its website and offers consumer protection resources including identity theft prevention services as noted online.
Looking ahead, observers are watching how courts respond to these requests for information from professional medical groups amid ongoing debates about science-based policy versus political influence.
