After being named the worst state attorney general in the country, Connecticut’s Dick Blumenthal said it made him proud.
“I regard this title as a badge of honor — recognizing my relentless fights against big tobacco, air polluters, environmental law breakers and monopolistic predators,” Blumenthal said. Shew – can’t believe he didn’t call them evil doers.
Why was he labeled the worst of the worst by the Competitive Enterprise Institute? The criteria included… subcontracting lawsuits to former legal associates or campaign contributors; advocating courts to “rewrite statutes or stretch constitutional norms;” bringing lawsuits that “usurp” state and federal regulations or the powers given to Congress and state legislatures; and seeking to regulate conduct occurring in other states.
But lucky for Blumenthal, he’s not alone on the list – his other list mates include:
2. Bill Lockyer – now California’s Democrat State Treasurer
3. Elliot Spitzer – now New York’s Democrat Governor
4. Zulima Farber – New Jersey’s Democrat AG
5. Patrick Lynch – Rhode Island’s Democrat AG
6. Darrell McGraw – West Virginia’s Democrat AG
7. William Sorrell – Vermont’s Democrat AG
8. Lisa Madigan – Illinois’s Democrat AG
9. Peg Lautenschlager – no longer Wisconsin’s Democrat Attorney General
10. Tom Reilly – no longer Massachusetts’s Democrat Attorney General
A good number of these “top cops” have conducted certain aspects of their offices duties under somewhat questionable clouds – read more here.
As Washington State’s Republican A.G. Rob McKenna says:
“When states find a target, they often reach a settlement behind closed doors without the usual checks and balances in government,” McKenna said.
“A great deal of power has been wrapped up in multi-state litigation. What I say to my colleagues is: this is tremendous power, and we should be very judicious and careful that it is not overused or misused,” he said.
Very judicious indeed.