Minnesota lawmakers want it to be easier to sue federal government, collect damages
In the aftermath of Operation Metro Surge, a bill to make it easier for someone to sue the federal government is advancing at the Minnesota Capitol.
The bipartisan floor vote of 109 to 18 Thursday means the bill moves on to the State Government Committee.
After witnessing violent clashes on Minnesota streets and the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, Rep. Jamie Long introduced a bill to make it easier to sue the federal government and win — collecting not only damages but attorneys fees.
"Right now, people are saying that going through the federal process for collecting damages, or again claiming your rights were violated, is a very difficult measure to do," said Hamline University law professor David Schultz. "So instead, what's being proposed at the state level is that maybe you could sue at the state level, in state court for violations of federal law."
Schultz has submitted written testimony in support of the proposed law.
It's not just a progressive proposal. Republicans have also sued the federal government and collected damages and fees.
When Ashli Babbitt was shot and killed by Capitol police on Jan. 6, 2021, her family sued the federal government for $30 million. The Trump administration settled the case, with the federal government paying the family $5 million in taxpayer money.
"People are looking at that and saying, 'Well, if Ashli Babbitt's family sued for constitutional violations, the loss of her life, why can't we do that? Why can't Alex Pretti's family do that? Why can't Renee Good's family do that?'" said Schultz. "Well, they can. They can do that. They can, under federal law right now, sue for deprivations of their constitutional rights."
Good and Pretti's families have hired attorneys who have said they are considering legal action.
In Good's case, her family attorneys are the same ones that George Floyd's family used to sue the city of Minneapolis. The law firm was able to secure a $27 million settlement from the city.
California, Colorado, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts and New Jersey already have similar laws. New York has a proposed law that has been introduced but not yet passed.
