Walz administration’s trans inmate lawsuit settlement cost MN taxpayers nearly $500K – report

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Minnesota Governor Tim Walz’s administration shelled out half a million dollars in taxpayer money to settle a left-wing group’s lawsuit over a transgender prison inmate.

According to research by a taxpayer watchdog group, the Democrat vice presidential nominee’s administration paid out nearly $449,000 to a St.Paul-based legal nonprofit in what is being described as a “sue-and-settlement” scheme involving Christina Lusk, a biological male inmate who was transferred to a women’s prison last year.

The watchdog, OpenTheBooks.com, shared its findings with the New York Post after research found that “Tampon” Tim’s office paid out the money to the group Gender Justice after a suit was filed against the Minnesota Department of Corrections (DOC) alleging discrimination for rejecting requests for vaginoplasty surgery and not placing him in a prison specific to his claimed gender.

Before being arrested in December 2018 and receiving a five-year prison sentence on felony drug charges, Lusk had received hormone therapy and pursued sex change surgery, at the time already being on conditional release for a DWI charge in 2012.

“Though the DOC initially moved to dismiss the suit and touted efforts to defend ‘some of the most progressive transgender policies in the nation,’ the agency agreed to a whopping $495,000 settlement in May 2023 that entitled Lusk to $245,903 in cash and Gender Justice to $198,000 in attorneys’ fees and costs,” the New York Post reported.

Lusk was ordered to be transferred to the women’s prison facility in Shakopee near Minneapolis and “promised full reimbursement pending a medical evaluation and approval from a medical insurance provider for vaginoplasty and ‘breast revision’ procedures — even after the end of Lusk’s incarceration period if necessary,” according to the outlet.

In 2022, Gender Justice only received $1,500 from the state government before the litigation.

“The DOC in 2023 categorized the massive expenses as ‘legal services’ paid to Gender Justice, and the cash to Lusk was marked as ‘other operating costs” paid to a non-taxable vendor, records show,’ the Post reported. “Gender Justice got another $5,000 that year from the state’s Office of Higher Education for help with ‘general management’ of ‘fiscal services.’”

“Attorneys at Minneapolis-based Robins Kaplan LLP, which partnered with Gender Justice on the lawsuit and got $51,096 in return for costs, had donated more than $22,000 to Walz’s 2022 gubernatorial campaign, state campaign finance records show,” according to the Post. “A treasurer on Gender Justice’s board also serves concurrently as the manager of Adult Mental Health Programs and Services at the Minnesota Department of Human Services.”

The watchdog believes that the case was a “sue-and-settle” where legal arbitration behind closed doors skirts the approval of the state legislature to change policy.

“In this instance, we have a nonprofit with ties to the administration and a law firm with five figures in donations to the Walz campaign on the same side of the table, across from the Department of Corrections,” OpenTheBooks spokesman Christopher Neefus said.

“It’s a closed circle of interests. By simply following the money in the state checkbook, we were able to paint taxpayers a much more detailed picture of these negotiations,” Neefus added.

“The funds paid as part of the settlement were funds appropriated to the Department of Corrections,” an agency spokesperson said in a statement, according to the Post. “The commissioner of the Department of Corrections, with input from the agency’s General Counsel, and attorneys from the Attorney General’s Office (who provide litigation representation to all state agencies), is authorized to settle cases.”

“This story made waves when the deal was first announced, but by following the money, taxpayers are able to get a much better look at the settlement and the consequences,” Neefus told Fox News Digital. “Taxpayers are used to footing the bill, of course, but this deal also meant Minnesota would change its policies when it comes to transgender inmates.

“That sidestepped the public input that comes with a legislative debate,” he said.

Walz’s shady leadership as governor has been drawing more scrutiny since he was tabbed to be Kamala Harris’ running mate.

“Our legal strategy is founded on the belief that now is the right time to fight for people’s rights. We work closely with movement partners, and are not afraid to rock the boat when necessary. We understand that as long as gender barriers exist in the law, more people and communities will be harmed – it’s never the wrong time to fight for people’s rights,” Gender Justice states on its website.

Chris Donaldson is an ordinary American who is concerned about rampant corruption as well as the ongoing attacks on our way of life by those who have contempt for our hard-earned freedoms. A Navy veteran, he has been a frequent contributor to conservative websites and resides in Florida.

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