SW Kansas News

A Wisconsin court has decided to allow a lawsuit challenging the use of a Bloomberg-funded Special Assistant Attorney General (SAAG) by Attorney General Josh Kaul to proceed. The decision was made on August 8 by the Calumet County Circuit Court, which denied Kaul's motion to dismiss the case. The lawsuit, filed in February by state dairy groups, argues against the appointment and role of the SAAG. The court said that "Plaintiffs appear to be opposed to both how the fellow was acquired and what she will do in her role."

The lawsuit was initiated by the Wisconsin Dairy Alliance and Venture Dairy Cooperative. They claim that the placement of a SAAG gives private interests undue influence over Wisconsin's Department of Justice. Cindy Leitner, president of the Wisconsin Dairy Alliance, expressed concerns about "the influence of special interest groups on state attorneys." The plaintiffs assert that Karen Heineman, Wisconsin’s SAAG, is more aligned with the NYU program funding her salary than with Wisconsin residents.

This legal development coincides with Congress investigating Michael Bloomberg’s NYU program. In July, the House Oversight Committee began examining NYU’s State Energy and Environmental Impact Center and Bloomberg Philanthropies for alleged "partisan activism with state attorneys general." Concerns have been raised about whether taxpayer-supported offices are being used for private policy goals rather than public interest.

The court's decision allows for further discovery into how much influence Bloomberg's program may have within Wisconsin’s DOJ. As Congress scrutinizes the broader Bloomberg-NYU initiative, questions arise about whether attorneys general are serving their constituents or external benefactors.

Information from this article can be found here.