SEATTLE — The company that operates 300 Value Village, Savers and other thrift stores in the U.S., Canada and Australia is suing Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson, saying his office has violated its rights by demanding $3.2 million to settle a three-year investigation.
TVI Inc., of Bellevue, said in the lawsuit filed in federal court Monday that it's trying to head off an anticipated complaint from the attorney general's office.
The for-profit company is represented by the prominent Seattle law firm of Davis Wright Tremaine. In the complaint, TVI said Ferguson's demand for payment doesn't appear to be connected to any alleged legal violations, and that his office's insistence that it disclose certain information about its relationship with the charities would violate its free-speech rights.
The attorney general's office said Tuesday it did not immediately have a response.
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