You know how Attorney General Leslie Rutledge likes to zoom around the country to meddle in other states’ business to restrict rights of gay people and women, promote pollution, protect guns and such as that?

Well here’s a multi-state legal action that could produce some good for the people of Arkansas. It concerns a letter signed by 25 attorneys general, not including Leslie Rutledge.

Millions of Americans have begun receiving coronavirus relief payments this week, some directly to bank accounts. Uh oh. The 25 a.g.’s and Hawaii are seeking protection for the money from bill collectors such as banks with past-due charges. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin could do this by rule. From the Texas TV news report:

But the bill doesn’t state the payments are exempt from garnishments, including money owed to your bank or creditors. Congress did include a safety net in the bill to allow the Treasury Department the authority to make additional rules regarding the payments, which is why some states are asking the department to step in. Texas isn’t one of the states asking for this action.

Arkansas also was not a signer of the letter.


Some states have laws that protect people already. In Ohio, for example, the attorney general has sent out a warning to those trying to take the money for past debts.

Some bankers are apparently interested in the money.


A Treasury official reportedly told banking officials last week that the law doesn’t prohibit banks from taking the stimulus payments for delinquent loans or past-due fees, according to The American Prospect. A Treasury spokeswoman said the department is looking into the issue.

Rutledge is currently spending $1.7 million from her “consumer protection” fund to put herself on TV and radio all over Arkansas. Perhaps she could pick up a pen to sign a letter to Steve Mnuchin and draw a few pennies from the fund for a stamp.