Lori Swanson was the Minnesota Attorney General. She served from 2007 until 2019. Her mission was to primarily make the office into a “litigation shop” and try to shape the law through the courts. See LoriSwansonlawsuits.com. While she left policy matters to the Governor’s Administration, there were times when law and policy inevitably overlap. During her time in the Attorney General’s Office, Lori Swanson prepared a number of several reports on proposed changes to the law. Almost all of these reports focused on current events that the office confronted where changes in the law needed to be addressed. In addition to these reports, Lori Swanson issued a number of white papers which can be found at LoriSwansonwritings.com. Readers can learn more about the work of Lori Swanson at loriswanson.com. Readers can also learn more at loriswansonnewsarchives.com.
The goal of these websites is to preserve the work of Lori Swanson and hopefully serve as a resource for public policy advancement.
I hope you find this site to be a helpful resource for research.
--Jackie Baker
1. Congressional Testimony on Accretive Health
Swanson testified before Congress as to harassment of Emergency Room patients at Fairview Hospitals by Accretive Health, a collection agency. She testified about Accretive’s repeated violations of the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) and the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.
2. Congressional Testimony on Annuities
Swanson testified before Congress on high pressure sales of unsuitable annuities and the need for insurers, not just agents, to be liable for such conduct.
3. Congressional Testimony on Consumer Arbitration
Swanson testified on how rigged arbitration systems undermine the fair resolution of claims against debtors.
4. Congressional Testimony on Cell Phones
Swanson testifies before Congress on fraud and abuse in cell phone contracts and need for federal legislation
5. Congressional Testimony on Mortgage Lending
Swanson testified before Congress on predatory lending and its effect on mortgage foreclosures in Minnesota
6. Testimony on proposed acquisition of University of Minnesota Hospital
Swanson delivers remarks regarding proposed takeover of Fairview Hospitals and University of Minnesota Hospitals by Sanford Health of South Dakota
7. Testimony to federal Reserve Board on Mortgage Lending
Swanson requested the Board to take action on errant lenders under the Home Ownership and Equity Protection Act.
8. Letter to legislature on proposed legislation for HMO conversions
The Report, entitled “Distracted Driving: A Deadly Epidemic on our Roads,” notes that distracted driving results in over 3,000 deaths and 400,000 injuries annually in the United States. In Minnesota, there are more than 50 deaths each year in proven cases of distracted driving, although the actual number of deaths and injuries is likely much higher. From 2013 to 2017, 265 people were killed in Minnesota and 1,080 suffered serious injuries in distracted driving crashes. One in five crashes resulting in death or serious injury during that period was caused by distracted driving.