New documents obtained by The Ohio Star reveal that Attorney General Dave Yost participated in an all-expense-paid trip to France that was organized by the nonprofit Attorney General Alliance (AGA), which received more than $3 million in donations from Pfizer’s political action committee over less than a decade.
These documents, including an event programming and email correspondence between Yost’s office and AGA, reveal previously unreported details about the conference, including that Yost submitted an invoice for $12,184.60 to be reimbursed by AGA for his and his wife’s flights to France.
Another document reviewed by The Star revealed that AGA offered a $15,000 “travel scholarship to cover the cost of flight, lodging, and meals” for Yost and other attorneys general, as well as the guest of their choice. He was instructed to book his flights by January 1, 2024.
Other communications obtained by The Star are messages sent during the trip via the encrypted messaging platform, WhatsApp, which reveal Yost was assigned to attend a dinner with New York Attorney General Letitia James during the trip.
Notably, this dinner occurred in July or August 2024, when James was embroiled in her civil lawsuit against President Donald Trump, whom she controversially accused of fraudulently inflating the value of his properties to secure financing.
“For dinner tonight, the delegation has been split into two groups,” wrote an AGA employee named Tania Maestas. “Feel free to dress comfy and casual.”
On this night, Yost and James were both included in Group A. The messages appear to instruct Yost, James, and the other attorneys general to arrive five minutes early to Le Bar du Soleil, a seaside restaurant along the coast of Normandy, which according to its website, boasts “views over Deauville’s beach and authentic Art Deco style complete with yellow and golden mosaics.”
While the event program contained speeches, museum visits, and tourist stops on each day of the trip, Maestas noted in an email to Yost’s office that the attorneys general would have free time to explore Paris on one occasion.
“We do not have any scheduled activities this day in Paris, so please feel free to explore the city on your own,” wrote Maestas.
The following day, she noted that attendees on the trip would include “private sector partners,” as well as their spouses.
Within the communications obtained by The Star, Yost rarely replied to the group chat, which mostly included Maestas and other AGA employees offering each day’s itinerary.
One afternoon, when Maestas’ colleague sent information about when the group’s shuttle service would leave for a restaurant, Yost replied, “I think we will see you tomorrow.”
Despite the trip occurring in July and August of 2024, the relationship between AGA and Pfizer’s PAC was not highlighted until March 2025, when CNN noted that AGA received “about $3 million” from the pharmaceutical giant’s political organization from 2013 to 2022.
The outlet also reported that AGA referred to Pfizer as a “Legacy Patron” and part of its “Major Gifts Circle” in its public reports.
Documents revealing the extent of Yost’s participation in the event were surfaced by The Star about one month after the attorney general suspended his campaign to become Ohio’s next governor.
Along with 43 other state attorneys general, Yost notably signed on to a 2019 lawsuit against Pfizer and 19 other pharmaceutical companies that was filed by Connecticut Attorney General William Tong, accusing the companies of participating in “a broad conspiracy to artificially inflate and manipulate prices, reduce competition, and unreasonably restrain trade for more than 100 different generic drugs.” The lawsuit is ongoing.
The Star contacted Yost’s office to ask about the trip, including whether the attorney general knew of AGA’s relationship with Pfizer when he agreed to attend, but did not receive a response prior to press time.
Yost’s office also did not respond to questions from The Star about the dinner he attended with James, whether he received the remaining balance of the $15,000 “scholarship” offered to attendees, or his interactions with the “private sector partners” in attendance at the event.
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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Pennsylvania Daily Star and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Dave Yost” by Dave Yost.
