Attorneys General Decry “Ethical Problems” With Bloomberg-Funded Attorneys

The attorneys general of Indiana and Texas were concerned about a report that found Bloomberg Philanthropies was paying private attorneys to work in attorney general offices in several states.

Curtis Hill of Indiana, a Republican, said the arrangement, in which the group is funding attorneys to work on specific issues as a member of a state office, is problematic because “a private organization or individual can promote an overtly political agenda by paying the salaries of government employees.” Republican Ken Paxton of Texas said the “ethical problems with this scheme are obvious.”