Bill to limit AG's power to sue on behalf of state

A House judiciary committee passed a bill today that would require the state attorney general to gain approval from an oversight committee of the governor, lieutenant governor and secretary of state to file any lawsuit on behalf of the state for more than $250,000.

State Rep. Ed Blackmon Jr., a member of the House Judiciary A Committee, called the measure partisan politics. He voted against it.

House Bill 1201 was filed by the chairman of the committee, state Rep. Mark Baker, R-Brandon, who has been discussed as a potential candidate for attorney general this year.

State Attorney General Jim Hood, the lone statewide Democratic official, has been criticized by some Republicans for hiring outside attorneys to represent the state in litigation, but at the same time, through litigation, Hood's office is responsible for bringing hundreds of million dollars into the state treasury.

If the bill passes, it would mean that Hood would have to gain approval of the oversight committee, composed of all Republicans.

Hood said "This bill is an unconstitutional invasion of the authority given to the Attorney General to solely handle litigation on behalf of the state by the people in the Mississippi Constitution and confirmed by the Mississippi Supreme Court. "

"It is clearly backed by huge out-of-state corporations and not the taxpayers of the state of Mississippi," Hood said. "Those supporting this bill are doing the bidding of their corporate masters. Our office has brought in over $830 million for the taxpayers from corporate corruption over the past 11 years"

"I will be announcing another large settlement next week and will have more to say about how corporate wrongdoers are trying to get petty politicians to block the attorney general from making them pay for their bad acts," Hood said.

But Baker said "No man is an island. He (Hood) would need approval of others before suing. I think it will work. If the attorney general makes his case, not to say it won't be approved."

But Blackmon questioned why the legislation would be needed?

"I don't think we need to call a plumber when there is no leak," Blackmon said. "I would oppose it as being unnecessary."

Blackmon and some other members of the committee said Hood's office has litigated cases no matter who is an office and on behalf of all the people of the state.

The bill now goes to the full House for consideration.

Contact Jimmie E. Gates at jgates@jackson.gannett.com or (601) 961-7212. Follow @jgatesnews on Twitter.