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THE FUNDAMENTAL POWERS OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL IS TO BRING LAWSUITS. 52;28> But Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller says lawmakers are threatening that power -- by taking away his ability to join multi-state lawsuits. Under a bill passed by both G-O-P controlled houses, Miller -- a Democrat --would need the Governor, legislature, or executive council to sign off on out-of-state litigation. Its sponsor, Representative Gary Worthan says this comes in part because Miller has challenged President Trump in a number of lawsuits -- but not President Obama -- and has joined legal briefs supporting Planned Parenthood. <28;17 IF HE HAD NOT INITIATED THE ACTIONS OUTSIDE OF THE STATE THAT WERE COMPLETELY CONTRARY TO THE WISHES OF THE LEG AND THE GOV WE WOULDN'T BE HAVING THIS DISCUSSION 28;30> But Miller argues this bill is an overreach that will keep him from doing his job. <55;00 DEM AGS ARE GONNA CHECK THE TRUMP ADMIN. REP ATTORNEY G SUED THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION AND THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT. THAT'S PART OF SEPARATION OF POWERS. 55;10> He also says the proposal could keep Iowans from being part of big multi-state settlements if he doesn't get approval ...like a recent case won against Wells Fargo. <54;17 THERE'S A POTENTIAL REACH WELL BEYOND THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION . 54;21> Save for a four- year stretch in the early 90s, Miller has been A-G since 19-79. He's the longest serving Attorney General in the U-S -- and re- elected in a landslide last year. Republicans didn't field a candidate. That's part of his case. <52;50 I'VE HAD TO RUN EVERY FOUR YEARS, AND THE VOTERS HAVE AGREED THAT THEY LIKE WHAT I'M DOING. 52;55> I asked Worthan what he thought of Miller's tenure. <28;51 HE'S DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB. AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THE TOBACCO SETTLEMENT, WELLS FARGO, HAS BROUGHT A LOT OF MONEY INTO THE STATE. WE JUST FEEL AS A GROUP AT THIS POINT IN TIME HE HAS OVERSTEPPED HIS BOUNDS. 29;09> The bill now heads to the Governor's desk. She was noncommital at her weekly news conference Tuesday. Miller points out he did file one

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Iowans could be prevented from receiving payouts in large multistate lawsuits after the Republican-led Legislature passed a bill that limits the powers of the state’s Democratic attorney general.Under the measure, Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller would need the governor, Legislature or executive council to sign off on out-of-state litigation, which he said is “totally unnecessary.” His ability to pursue in-state litigation wouldn’t be affected. The Senate approved a state justice system budget 32-18 that included the limit on the attorney general’s action. The restriction was added late in the session with no committee hearings. It passed in the House 54-45 on Tuesday.RELATED: Republicans aim to limit Democratic attorney general's powerMiller said the bill approved Wednesday makes Iowa the first state to limit the attorney general to such an extreme and he’ll consider a lawsuit to challenge it. GOP legislators, including Storm Lake Rep. Gary Worthan, have cited frustration that Miller joined lawsuits opposing the actions of President Donald Trump but not President Barack Obama. They also said Miller has joined legal briefs supporting Planned Parenthood of the Heartland. “If he had not initiated the actions outside of the state that were completely contrary to the wishes of the Legislature and the governor, we wouldn’t be having this discussion,” Worthan said. Republican Sen. Julian Garrett added that the attorney general’s political activity is a legitimate concern of legislators.Miller argued that the bill is an overreach that will keep him from doing his job. “Democratic attorneys general are going to check the Trump administration,” Miller said. “Republican attorneys general sued the Obama administration, and there’s nothing wrong with that. That’s part of separation of powers.”“I think that I’m elected independently by the voters,” he added.The proposal could keep Iowans from being part of big multistate settlements if he doesn’t get approval, like a recent case won against Wells Fargo. “One of the fundamental powers of the attorney general is to bring lawsuits. … I never bring a lawsuit unless I believe it’s the right thing to do under the law and in the interest of Iowans,” Miller said. “There’s a potential reach well beyond the Trump administration.”Miller is the nation’s longest-serving state attorney general -- he’s been in his position since 1979 and serving his 10th term. Democratic Sen. Joe Bolkcom said Miller was re-elected in 2018 after joining other states in numerous lawsuits challenging the Trump administration, showing Iowans support him. In the last election, Republicans didn’t field a candidate, which is part of Miller’s case. “I’ve had to run every four years, and the voters have agreed that they like what I’m doing,” he said. Though Worthan said the Iowa attorney general has done “an excellent job,” the representative said legislators feel that Miller has “overstepped his bounds.” “However he wants to couch it, he brought this on himself,” Worthan said. The bill now heads to Gov. Kim Reynolds’ desk. She was noncommittal at her weekly news conference Tuesday. “We’re going to take a look at (the bill),” she said. “I hadn’t seen the language, and so we’ll take a look at that and review the bill like I do with all the other bills that are passed.”