Attorney General Brad Schimel
Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel says he would still be willing to sue the federal government, even under a Republican administration.
While Schimel said he has not fully reviewed a judge’s order dealing with President Donald Trump’s executive order banning travel to the U.S. from several predominantly Muslim countries, he would be willing to go to court if certain conditions are met. “If there’s a negative impact to the state of Wisconsin, and there’s an unconstitutional overreach by the president…sure,” he told reporters during a stop in Madison Monday.
Schimel would not say whether he supports the travel ban signed by the president last week, calling it a “policy decision.” Schimel said “on policy decisions where they don’t violate the constitution and they don’t interfere with the state’s tenth amendment autonomy…I’m going to steer clear of it.”
AUDIO: Attorney General Brad Schimel on travel ban (:57)
The Department of Justice under Schimel was frequently a party to lawsuits Wisconsin and other states brought against President Barack Obama’s administration. While he and Trump are both Republicans, Schimel insisted nothing has changed. “Just because we’ve changed presidents doesn’t mean I’ve lost my will to defend the state against the federal government when they overreach,” he said.