Wisconsin AG-elect predicts lame-duck lawsuits

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MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin’s incoming Democratic attorney general is predicting multiple lawsuits challenging Republican lame-duck legislation limiting the powers of both his office and Democratic Gov.-elect Tony Evers.

Attorney General-elect Josh Kaul told reporters Tuesday that the legislation undermines the will of voters who elected him and Evers.

He says the legislation is “virtually certain” to generate lawsuits across multiple courts. He says the state will be mired in litigation next year.

The legislation would allow legislators to replace the attorney general with outside attorneys in cases, require lawmakers to sign off on settlements, send settlement dollars to the state general fund and prohibit the governor from authorizing the attorney general to withdraw from lawsuits.

Kaul says that’s designed to prevent Evers from ordering him to withdraw from a multi-state lawsuit challenging federal health care laws.