AG agrees to drop Common Core lawsuit

Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry agreed to stand down Thursday on a Bobby Jindal-era lawsuit against Common Core, perhaps dialing down a week of chippy exchanges with Gov. John Bel Edwards.

Landry said Thursday he joined a motion from Edwards to dismiss the lawsuit a week after the governor announced he was dropping the appeal in federal court. The attorney general said his decision came after an internal review of the case.

“When constitutional principles are at stake, it is my duty and responsibility as the state’s chief legal officer to precisely, patiently and proficiently review the legal course of action," Landry said in a statement. "Under Louisiana’s Constitution, the person authorized to make legal decisions on behalf of the state is the Attorney General.

“I will reiterate – my ultimate clients are the citizens, not any department or agency of state government,” Landry said.

Edwards announced Feb. 4 that he planned to drop the appeal of the lawsuit filed by then Gov. Bobby Jindal in 2014. While Edwards generally opposes Common Core, he said the case was rendered moot because of updated federal legislation and a compromise reached by the Louisiana Legislature last year.

But Landry surprised Edwards later, saying it was up to the attorney general, not the governor, on whether to advance the appeal.

The dispute escalated as the two exchanged letters asserting their power over the lawsuit before Landry's decision Thursday may have settled the matter.

Follow Greg Hilburn on Twitter @GregHilburn1