Karl Racine

Karl Anthony Racine (born December 14, 1962) is a Haitian-American lawyer and politician. He was the first independently elected attorney general for the District of Columbia, a position he held from 2015 to 2023. Before that, he was the managing partner of Venable LLP.

Early life and education Born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Racine and his family fled the François Duvalier regime and emigrated to Washington, D.C., when he was three years old.

Racine then went to the University of Virginia School of Law, where he worked at a pro bono clinic representing migrant farm workers.

D.C. Attorney General

Elections In July 2014, Racine announced his candidacy for D.C. Attorney General, prompting friend and fellow prominent white-collar attorney Mark Tuohey to drop out of the race and endorse him, saying he "has all the qualifications."

In September 2017, Racine announced he would run for reelection. Racine won reelection in the May 15 general election with 93% of the vote against Libertarian candidate Joe Henchman. Racine was mentioned as a possible candidate for mayor in 2022, to challenge incumbent Mayor Muriel Bowser, but decided not to run.

Racine did not seek reelection as the city's Attorney General in 2022.

Tenure As Attorney General, Racine has established four priorities for the DC Office of the Attorney General: data-driven juvenile justice reform, protecting consumers from abusive tactics by unscrupulous businesses, preserving affordable housing and protecting tenants in communities across the District, and advancing democracy and safeguarding public integrity. Following the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol, Racine urged Vice President Mike Pence to invoke the Twenty-fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution in order to remove President Donald Trump from office, declaring him "disinterested in upholding the duties of his office".

In line with these priorities, Attorney General Racine helped end mandatory shackling of juveniles appearing before D.C. Superior Court and expanded options for rehabilitating low-risk juvenile offenders. A diversion program that helps these young people get and stay on the right track has achieved a success rate of nearly 80 percent. Under Attorney General Racine, OAG has increased participation in the program five-fold, positively impacting young lives and increasing public safety.

In 2015, Attorney General Racine established a standalone Office of Consumer Protection within OAG focused on outreach, education and legal actions to protect consumers. He has brought tens of millions of dollars to the District through settlements and judgments in cases against corporate wrongdoers. In 2017, Racine established the Public Advocacy Division to bring affirmative litigation to preserve affordable housing, protect residents against wage theft, safeguard the environment and ensure public integrity.

in 2019, Racine's office sued DoorDash for not paying customers' tips to delivery drivers. DoorDash used the tips to offset the "guaranteed amount" it paid drivers for each delivery, despite wording on its mobile app and website that said tips would be added to drivers' earnings, which Racine called "deceptive" and a violation of the District's Consumer Protection Procedures Act. DoorDash's settlement with the Attorney General's office required DoorDash to maintain a policy that tips would go to drivers without offsetting their guarantee amount. The settlement also required DoorDash to pay $1.5million to drivers who had made deliveries in the District while the tipping policy had been in place and to give $250,000 to local charities.

In 2021, Racine filed a lawsuit involving the National Rifle Association, focusing on financial oversight and governance practices related to gun‑violence prevention. In 2021, Racine launched an antitrust lawsuit against Amazon, which was subsequently dismissed in court in March 2022. Known for his work on antitrust matters,

Personal life Racine served as a board member of the Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia,

Racine lives in the Palisades. Racine is Catholic.