When Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey says he’ll seize assets to force China to pay a $24.5 billion award won in a lawsuit over COVID-19, the action might be aimed more at bolstering conservatives’ arguments that China was responsible for the pandemic than collecting any money.
Similarly, when the Republican attorney general sued Starbucks last month, alleging that the coffee shop chain discriminated against white men in hiring, the point might have been less about winning in court than attacking diversity, equity and inclusion programs that conservatives oppose.
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey
Over the past decade, state attorneys general have become increasingly visible for suing presidential administrations of the opposite political party and pursuing policy goals through warnings and public demand letters. They are not only their states’ top law enforcement officials but now also chief advocates for a variety of causes — and few seem as busy as Bailey.
“If you’re suing everybody, why not China?” said Benjamin Wittes,