Kentucky Attorney General Andy Beshear has filed a lawsuit against Tea Party Governor Matt Bevin for unilaterally cutting higher education without any authority to do so.
The lawsuit, filed in the local district court in the state capital of Franklin, accused Bevin of giving an "illegal order."
Attorney General Andy Beshear, the son of a former governor, followed through on his threat to file a lawsuit challenging Bevin's "blatant violations" of law by unilaterally cutting 4.5 percent, or $41 million, from the state's colleges and universities in the last three months of the fiscal year. [...]
Beshear said his suit filed in Franklin County Circuit Court was an answer to Bevin's "unconstitutional and illegal order." He wants a judge to force the governor to release the funds to the schools. Beshear is requesting expedited court review.
Attorney General Beshear went on to say that, in Bevin's perspective, a budget is "merely a suggestion" and the state legislature is "merely an advisory body."
It's hard to argue with that as the governor unilaterally bypasses the General Assembly and does whatever he wants.
This is not a case of the governor acting on behalf of the legislature's wishes. The divided legislature, which is still partially controlled by Democrats, has opposed Bevin's plan for massive spending cuts. But even if that weren't the case, Governor Bevin would still be guilty of overstepping his authority.
Kansas Governor Sam Brownback must be asking himself why he didn't think of this.