St. Paul, MN (KROC-AM News) - A former member of the Minnesota Supreme Court will represent Governor Mark Dayton in his legal fight with the State Legislature.

Dayton announced Wednesday that Sam Hanson has been retained as Special Counsel to represent the governor and the office of Minnesota Management and Budget. The decision followed the filing of a lawsuit in Ramsey County Court on Tuesday that challenges the governor’s authority to use his line item veto power to erase operational funding for the state legislature.

Dayton has said he was seeking to push the Republican legislative leaders back to the bargaining table to rework some provisions of the budget bills and the tax bill that were signed into law last month.

“It’s regrettable that Republican Legislative Leaders have chosen a legal battle to protect their excessive tax giveaways, which will cost the State of Minnesota over $5 Billion during the next decade,” said Governor Mark Dayton. “I will continue to urge the Republican Legislative Majorities to agree to remove these fiscally irresponsible tax cuts, and to repeal their un-Minnesotan attacks on our state's immigrant communities and our teachers. After reviewing the lawsuit and in consultation with the Attorney General, I have chosen to hire outside counsel to represent us.”

Hanson served on the Minnesota Supreme Court 2002 through 2008 after a two-year stint on the Minnesota Court of Appeals. He has since returned to private practice with the firm of Briggs and Morgan.

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