Among many issues on the plates of Minnesota’s top elected officials when they take office in early January are two high-profile legal cases. Governor-elect Tim Walz will have to decide whether to continue Governor Mark Dayton’s legal challenge to a Public Utilities Commission decision allowing the controversial Enbridge Line 3 pipeline project to move forward. Walz said just before the election he was satisfied with the commission’s earlier decision, but more recently deflected questions about what he’ll do.
And incoming Attorney General Keith Ellison will have to decide whether to continue current A-G Lori Swanson’s lawsuit against Comcast. “Significant case,” says Swanson. “It’s gonna impact thousands and thousands of Minnesotans. There’s a great degree of frustration on the part of the public.” Ellison says he’s not yet fully briefed on the lawsuit but is “concerned about the allegations that customers were overcharged and that the companies did not follow through on the commitments they made.”