House to consider helping with unallotment suit, Senate declines

As I reported earlier, the Minnesota House Rules Committee has scheduled a Monday morning hearing to discuss whether the House should file a friend of the court brief in a lawsuit that challenges Gov. Pawlenty's unallotment authority.

DFL Rep. Ryan Winkler of Golden Valley says he thinks the House should support the people who are suing because Pawlenty misused his authority (full interview here

).

"For them to make that argument on our behalf and for the Legislature not to make a statement that we agree, I think would hurt their cause. So the fact that we're willing to come forward and tell the court that the Legislature agrees that the governor's action was illegal is an important statement for us to make."

Meanwhile, a spokesman for the Minnesota Senate says there are no plans for the Senate to get involved in the court case. Gov. Pawlenty has said he believes he will win any legal challenge.

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