Minnesota Attorney General Sides with Feds on Health Care

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson

has rejected a request from Gov. Tim Pawlenty to sue over the new

federal health care law.

Instead, Swanson said Monday she will file a friend-of-the-court

brief supporting the federal government in a lawsuit filed by 13

state attorneys general.

The Democratic attorney general sent the Republican governor a

letter saying a lawsuit isn't warranted because health care fits

squarely within the federal government's authority to regulate

interstate commerce.

Pawlenty had asked Swanson to challenge whether a requirement

that individuals buy health insurance is constitutional.

Swanson tells Pawlenty he could file his own friend-of-the-court

brief as governor to support the legal challenge.

Gubernatorial spokesman Brian McClung says Pawlenty intends to

participate in the lawsuit.

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