State attorneys-general are shaping national policy
America’s top prosecutors are elected, and the amount of money going into political campaigns is shocking. Between 2008 and 2022, the cost of state attorney-general races rose from $17m to $222m, making them some of America’s most unchecked partisan players. Attorneys-general now shape nationwide politics and policy by pushing strategic lawsuits through their favorite courts.
Two attorneys-general, one a Republican and one a Democrat, exemplify the new breed. Ken Paxton of Texas has refused to represent state agencies in court at least 75 times, often seemingly for ideological reasons. He has energized his Trumpian base by relentlessly suing the Biden administration, blocking vaccine mandates, and banning abortion when it was still protected under the federal constitution.
2024-02-08 09:40:12
Source from www.economist.com