June 15, 2026
Capitol Forum this week featured commentary from our Policy Director, Shelmun Dashan, in an article covering California Attorney General Rob Bonta's newly launched California Affordability Response Team — the first initiative of its kind. The team was established to crack down on corporate misconduct that drives up costs and puts everyday necessities further out of reach for Californians.
Dashan's comments pointed to a broader trend: as federal oversight recedes, state and local enforcement of consumer protection laws is becoming increasingly critical. As Dashan put it, "[a]t a time when prices, fraud, and exploitative practices mount, the federal administration has turned off the security cameras and fired the guards."