Research


Scope and Content Note

The series consists of minutes, correspondence, and publications documenting the activities of the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) and the participation of the New York State attorney general in its activities.

18568-94: The records in this accretion are those of Attorney General Robert Abrams relating to his membership. They indicate a high level of participation by Abrams as measured by meeting attendance (approximately three times a year at sites across the country) and participation in seminars. He was chair of the Environmental Protection Committee, the Antitrust Committee, and the Eastern Regional Conference of Attorneys General. Abrams was president of the association from June 1987 through June 1988, and in 1991 was named the outstanding attorney general of the year.

The records include: briefing materials on NAAG meetings; highlights of issues and activities, publications, and other association business; lists of attorneys general (elect) of the states and other jurisdictions; memorandums, open letters, budget materials, and other items from committee meetings; copies of resolutions, policy statements, and presentation materials issued by the association; reports, correspondence, and other material by/from related national, state, or local associations (e.g., Council of State Governments); Abrams' seminar notes; travel vouchers, registrations itineraries, and meeting agendas; and videotape entitled "A Salute to Attorney General Robert Abrams" from a December 1993 meeting in New Orleans.

Topics of discussion at meetings and themes of the association's legal seminars are wide-ranging. They include environmental protection; antitrust practices; the insurance industry; criminal justice legislation; consumer protection; nuclear waste disposal; child abuse; crime victims relief; legal services (and costs) for the poor; state constitutional law; charitable trust and solicitation; and senior citizen advocacy.

18568-94A: This accretion consists of Attorney General Robert Abrams' National Association of Attorneys General material such as task force reports, agenda for NAAG meetings, briefing books for conferences, invitations to functions related to NAAG, meeting arrangements, correspondence related to NAAG conference issues, conference handouts and notes, NAAG publications, and publications relating to issues of concern to NAAG. The records concern such topics as car rental, drug control strategies, pay-per-call telephone services, campaign finance, ethics, lobbying regulation, antitrust and trade regulation, and casino gambling. This accretion was apparently compiled by Timothy Gilles, a member of the attorney general's executive staff.

18568-94B: This accretion contains records pertaining to the tenures of Attorneys General Robert Abrams (1987-1993) and G. Oliver Koppell (1994). These records were apparently collected by Timothy Gilles, a member of the executive staff of the attorney general's office.

18568-07: This accretion contains records pertaining to the tenure of Attorney General Eliot Spitzer (1999-2006). They document Attorney General Spitzer's involvement in NAAG and the communication among the other state attorneys general.