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BOSTON — Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell says her office has warded off federal threats to billions of dollars in funding for Massachusetts, and she’s asking for more state support given the battles ahead.
Gov. Maura Healey’s annual budget proposal includes $86.5 million for Campbell’s office, up from about $83 million she was allocated in fiscal year 2026. As budget deliberations shift next to the House, Campbell told budget writers she needs $2.7 million more than was proposed by Healey, herself a former attorney general.
“We need every penny,” Campbell told the Joint Ways and Means Committee during its first hearing on Healey’s latest budget on Feb. 11.
The funds would allow Campbell to hire 17 employees to support her office’s seemingly constant legal battles with the Trump administration, she said.
“When I sat before you last year, I stated that the chaos from the federal administration would likely be our new normal, but what we have seen in the past year is worse than chaos. It is a total disregard for facts, processes and the rule of law,” Campbell said. “In this national climate, a strong [state attorney general’s] office is required to hold the federal administration accountable and to protect our state from abuses of power.”
Campbell said her office has filed 47 suits against the Trump administration that have protected $3.14 billion out of a total $3.3 billion threatened by the federal government. Some staff have been specifically assigned to these federal legal battles, mainly because the cases have been cropping up so fast. These employees have also been assigned to consumer protection work when they see a lull in federal legal challenges.
“We’re trying to expand human capital,” Campbell said. “It’s almost twofold: The federal government’s coming after us, we’re fighting back.”
Campbell touted funds her office has protected and returned to state coffers, including more than $210 million set to return the General Fund.
She referenced a suit her office won last January against three UnitedHealth subsidiaries over their misleading marketing. The ruling resulted in $50 million going to consumers and a record $115 million in civil penalties awarded to the state, she said.
“The bottom line is that we deliver real value to the commonwealth, to our constituents, to your residents, and of course, the reputation of our state, nationally and internationally,” Campbell said.
Campbell suggested two pieces of legislation should be included in the budget’s outside sections.
One bill (S 1132 / H 1965) from Sen. Patricia Jehlen and Reps. Jeffrey Roy and Christopher Worrell would create an administrative claims process in Campbell’s office and allow wrongfully convicted people to receive compensation through a “faster and more equitable process,” she said. Those eligible for compensation could receive $15,000 upon release, $115,000 per year of incarceration as well as access to social service advocates and state benefits programs. The House version of the bill is sitting in the Judiciary Committee. The same committee voted 6-0 in favor of the Senate bill in July and referred it to the Ways and Means Committee.
The second is a petition (HD 5329 / SD 3375) Campbell introduced along with Rep. David Rogers and Sen. William Brownsberger that would ban anti-competitive conduct and add fines for those who violate the Massachusetts Antitrust Act. Campbell noted this legislation is crucial now because the federal government is “absolutely backing away” from corporate accountability. Both petitions are in front of the Judiciary Committee.
House Ways and Means chair Aaron Michlewitz, who is leading the effort to redraft Healey’s budget for debate in April, praised Campbell’s work during the “unprecedented nature” of the past few years.
Campbell, who lives in Dartmouth, has also sued the Trump administration over offshore wind, food benefits, immigration actions, and federal budget cuts.
In an interview with The Light in April, Campbell connected much of her litigation to affordability. “We have fought back every step of the way against all these unlawful actions with the hopes of restoring that funding to help folks with a whole range of issues — but most importantly, their household bills,” she said then. She argued that Trump had pledged to lower costs, but that his cuts to federal funding for medical research, education, and public health would widen the gap.
The Light contributed to this report.
So, most of the blue states file suit against Trump when he wakes up in the morning. Why does Massachusetts have to join them every time? What’s the advantage other than grandstanding and virtue signaling? Also, instead of towing the party line, shouldn’t she be conducting the audit of the legislature everyone is screaming about? She approved the ballot question, the people voted, enforce the will of the people. Party line over people every time with Democrats.
This Attorney General sees the failed policy and decision making of our state legislators (Governor, Representatives, Senators) and is just jumping on the band wagon. Our elected officials have put the heaviest tax burden on state residents that we’ve ever seen before. It’s not sustainable, we need to make change, and bring some common sense back to our state government.
Attorney General Campbell needs to attend to her responsibilities in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts instead of seeking the spotlight in Washington filing suit after suit against President Trump. These suits cost MA millions each year and won’t amount to anything. Keep your own house in order AG Campbell, you have plenty to do here at home without increasing your Office’s annual budget by nearly $3 million. MA is going broke as taxes and fees increase every year. You can start by granting your constituents the audit they voted for with an an overwhelming majority 15 months ago.