MN House will consider supporting lawsuit against Pawlenty

The Rules Committee in the Minnesota House has scheduled a Monday morning hearing to discuss whether to file a friend of the court brief in a lawsuit that challenges Gov. Pawlenty's unallotment authority. A spokesman for House Democrats says the members will discuss whether the Minnesota House should file an Amicus Brief on the matter.

In October, several low income Minnesotans filed a suit in Ramsey County District Court asking a judge to restore money for two programs -- one that funds low income Minnesotans who have special diet needs and another that provided a renter's property tax credit. In July, Pawlenty balanced the budget on his own after he failed to reach agreement with the Legislature on the best way to erase a multi-billion deficit.

Gov. Pawlenty has said he thinks he operated within the law when he cut spending and used an accounting gimmick to erase a $2.7 billion budget deficit.

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