LANSING, Mich. — Sen. Joseph Bellino on Thursday signed on to a letter with the entire Senate Republican caucus to Attorney General Dana Nessel opposing a potential state lawsuit against oil and gas companies.
“This frivolous and dangerous lawsuit idea is a waste of taxpayer dollars, an abuse of power and an illustration of the attorney general’s complete lack of understanding of her role in state government,” said Bellino, R-Monroe. “It also shows that the attorney general either doesn’t know or doesn’t care about the impact of this lawsuit on the people of Michigan. There is hardly any part of our lives that doesn’t rely, in part, on the contributions of the oil and gas industries.
“We use these resources to get our kids to school; transport goods to stores; heat our homes; grow, preserve and cook our food; provide health care; and supply the electricity needed to power our economy and electric vehicles — not to mention that our state’s largest industry and largest job providers literally would not exist without them.”
The letter notes, “Beyond attempting to cripple an industry critical to our state’s economy and well-being, such overtly political litigation sets a dangerous precedent. The legal system should not be used as a tool for advancing political agendas or targeting political adversaries. Such an abuse of power threatens the public’s trust in our institutions.”
“It is sad that this attorney general is more focused on using the courts to try to achieve her personal, liberal policy goals than protecting our seniors or keeping our communities safe and free from drugs,” Bellino said.
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