BATON ROUGE, La. — Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry has filed a response on behalf of House Speaker Clay Schexnayder to the lawsuit filed earlier this week by Gov. John Bel Edwards against the house petition that seeks to end his public health emergency declaration.
According to a release from the attorney general's office, Landry filed an Answer and Reconventional Demand by Schexnayder, to the lawsuit filed by Edwards earlier this week in the 19th Judicial District Court for an injunction against the house petition.
The document outlines several defenses of the house petition including one that says the court lacks jurisdiction over the governor's request for injunctive relief because the governor's lawsuit sets forth a political question and that such relief would violate the separation of powers if the court granted it.
Landry also released the following statement after the filing:
The Governor not only rejected attempts by one of his co-equal branches of government to provide input and oversight, but he also ignored the checks and balances that underpin our government.
He then filed a lawsuit in an attempt to gain extraordinary powers unfounded in law. But today, the people’s representatives responded with a legal petition of their own to ensure the Governor follows the rule of law. And by following the law, the people will get their seat at the table.
After all: the powers authorized by the Louisiana Constitution, as enshrined in our laws, are held by the people and exercised by their elected Legislators.
The full court filing can be read below:
READ MORE: Gov. Edwards files lawsuit against petition ending COVID order
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