Attorney General Andrew Bailey’s attempt to increase the cost of an abortion-rights initiative petition was unprecedented and illegal, lawyers for the Missouri ACLU and state auditor’s office argued Wednesday in Cole County Court.

”No attorney general has ever attempted to exercise this level of discretion,” said Robert Tillman, deputy general counsel for Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick.

Meanwhile, the attorney general’s office contends it was simply exercising its authority under state law when it refused to sign off on a fiscal note summary crafted by the auditor that said the abortion-rights initiative petition would have no cost to state or local government.