State Joint Finance Committee Approves Settlements for Several Lawsuits
Thursday, February 13th, 2020 -- 10:36 AM
(WRN) -The state's Joint Finance Committee has approved the settlement of several lawsuits from the Attorney General's office.The state's Joint Finance Committee has approved the settlement of several lawsuits from the Attorney General's office. Democrat representative Chris Taylor says the fact that the J F C is still butting into handling lawsuits is absurd.
"People would look at you like you were crazy if you said 'I'm running for the state Legislature so I can settle lawsuits for the Attorney General.'" It's not our role, it's a total abuse, I object to this whole process."
Taylor says she's voting in favor of the settlements under protest.
"I'm going to go forward, what I want though is let the attorney general do his job and stop this nonsense."
J F C Co-chair John Nygren says the fact that Democrats are voting for the settlements means the system works.
"Just to be clear, since my Dem are now voting for these, it just goes to show you, if provided the proper information, there is a process that actually works."
Republicans gave themselves the power of final approval for settlements during the Lame Duck law session at the end of former Governor Walker's administration. They say that the A-G's office needed extra oversight on where settlement money is going. Attorney General Josh Kaul has previously refused to read in the J F C on settlements without members of the committee signing non disclosure agreements. Democrats maintain that the law that allows the J F C oversight on settlements is an illegal power grab.
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