Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison prepares to push back against Trump
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Ellison joined legal challenges on many of Trump's first-term policies. Photos: Jim Watson & Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images
Minnesota's DFL Attorney General Keith Ellison says he's already preparing to take legal action if a second Trump administration infringes on people's rights.
Why it matters: Lawsuits filed by states — including many that Minnesota joined — stalled some of President-elect Trump's agenda during his first term. Democratic state leaders across the country are announcing plans to fight back against him again.
- On Wednesday the governors of Colorado and Illinois introduced a new organization dedicated to pushing back against Trump's policies — and providing states a playbook to do so, too.
What he's saying: "I didn't run for attorney general's office twice so that I could sue Trump. That's not what I'm here for," Ellison told reporters after a Tuesday press conference.
- "But if he violates the rights of people, we're gonna sue, it's simple as that."
State of play: Trump's team may be more prepared for legal challenges this time around, other progressive attorneys general have noted, and a more conservative Supreme Court could make it more difficult for states like Minnesota to prevail.
- Plus: Republicans are on track to win control of both chambers of Congress, which could allow them to pass federal laws that override Minnesota statute in some cases.
Friction point: Ellison said while the courts may agree that federal law "legitimately preempts state law" in some cases, he "won't shrink from a single" challenge due to the broader political dynamics.
The other side: GOP state Sen. Mark Koran, who has called for more safeguards against fraud as vice chair of the Legislative Audit Commission, pushed back against Ellison's comments.
- "Instead of continuing lawfare against the President, Attorney General Ellison should focus on charging and prosecuting the criminals who defrauded hundreds of millions of dollars from the taxpayers through many state programs," he told Axios in a statement.
What we're watching: Ellison said he's talking with state legislators "about what we might do to fortify and protect Minnesota from the ravages of a Trump administration."
- The return to divided government would complicate any efforts to pass new laws on that front when the new Legislature is sworn in next January.
Editor's note: Axios' Melissa Santos contributed reporting.