State attorneys general have always had some responsibility to review the operations of nonprofit charities and foundations. Particularly as non-profit organizations, such as hospitals, play a larger and larger role in the economy, the attorney general’s increased use of that authority has taken on national significance. The role has taken on new importance with greater scrutiny of non-profit governance of large institutions such as hospitals, health insurers, and universities. This section analyzes the parameters of that authority.

  1. “A Guide to Charitable Trust Case Review: Bob Carlson, Missouri Assistant Attorney General and Hugh Jones, Hawaii, Assistant Attorney General. 2010

  2. State Attorneys General Powers and Responsibilities, Chapter 12, “Protection and Regulation of Nonprofits and Charitable Assets.” Bob Carlson, Missouri, Assistant Attorney General. NAAG, 2013

  3. Random Charities Cases—Fall 2004-2015

  4. Cohen, Rick, “Danger Sign: AGs Succumb to Special Interest Lobbying”, Nonprofit Quarterly, November 3, 2014

  5. May 19, 2015 - FTC and 50 AG's - Charities Filing

  6. FTC and States Announce National Initiative, July 19, 2018

  7. "NY AG Opens Investigation of Trump Foundation," Chicago Tribune, December 27, 2016

  8. Colby Hamilton, “NY AG Says Trump Foundation differs from Clinton Foundation,” Politico, October 19, 2016

  9. Vivian Salama and Laurie Kellman “NY AG Says Trump Foundation Cannot be Disolved during Investigation,” Washington Times, December 27, 2016

  10. What You Can Learn from the Trump Foundation Debacle, August 18, 2018

  11. Grey Rohre, “Insufficient Evidence to charge Florida AG,” Orlando Sentinel, April 6 2017.

  12. Doug Chayka, “Billionaire Cancer Fighter and Self Dealing?”, Politico, April 9, 2017