Maryland Senate Gives Attorney General Authority to Sue Trump Administration
As President Trump renewed his pledge this week to ban immigrants from seven Middle Eastern countries from entering the United States, Maryland’s attorney general has new authority to sue his administration to block the policy.
The Maryland Senate approved a resolution that gives Attorney General Brian E. Frosh authority to sue the federal government without permission from Governor Larry Hogan.
Frosh is a Democrat while Hogan is a Republican. Hogan has declined to respond to Frosh’s Feb. 1 request to sue the Trump Administration over the ban, which prompted Senate Democrats to propose the resolution for an independent right to sue.
Republicans called the Senate vote led by Democrats a political strategy to undercut Hogan.
Democrats said 41 other state attorneys general already have independent authority to sue the federal government. They said the independent authority is important to allow the attorney general to protect states’ rights.
The authority also extends to health care, consumer protection and environmental policies Trump might support but that conflict with Maryland’s position.
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