The state Senate has approved a bill that strips some of the authority from the attorney general’s office along party lines. Democratic Senator Steve Bieda of Warren called the legislation “borderline unconstitutional” in ripping it.
“Write better legislation. It’s that simple,” said Bieda immediately after the vote.
Attorney General-elect Dana Nessel called it a “hasty” effort to “push through a proposal that was never properly vetted and appears to be an intentional and partisan effort on the part of some legislators to undermine the role of the state’s Attorney General.” The measure allows the Legislature to intervene in lawsuits and was introduced after Nessel, a Democrat, defeated Republican House Speaker Tom Leonard in the November election. Another bill removing authority from the incoming Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson regarding elections died in a House committee this week.
The bill was introduced less than a month ago and was one of several viewed as power grabs by Republicans after Democrats flipped the AG, secretary of state, and governor’s offices. The last time that happened was in the mid-1930s. The secretary of state bill died in a House committee.
