California Governor Gavin Newsom wasted no time in responding to the news that the Trump administration is seeking to transfer California’s lawsuit regarding the president’s tariffs to an out-of-state court.
Upon hearing about the administration’s request, Newsom took to social media with a taunting message, asking, ‘You scared?’
Legal Battle Over Jurisdiction
In a recent court filing, Justice Department attorneys argued that the case should be relocated to the U.S. Court of International Trade in New York, rather than remaining in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, where Newsom and Attorney Rob Bonta originally filed the lawsuit. A hearing on this jurisdictional dispute is scheduled for May 22.
California’s Stand Against Trump’s Tariffs
This week, California made headlines by becoming the first state to sue President Donald Trump over his ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs, asserting that the president lacks the authority to unilaterally impose taxes on imports under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.
The Trump administration’s argument for transferring the case to the Court of International Trade is based on the belief that the lawsuit primarily deals with tariff policy, falling under the exclusive jurisdiction of this specialized court.
Legal Maneuvers and Appeals
The Court of International Trade, known for handling trade-related disputes nationwide, has been the focus of various challenges to presidential tariff actions. The administration’s stance is that this lawsuit should follow a similar path.
While representatives for Attorney Rob Bonta have not commented on the recent developments, it is clear that the legal battle over Trump’s tariffs is intensifying. With multiple challenges to the tariffs being heard by the trade court, including cases from conservative and nonprofit groups, the ultimate resolution may end up in the Supreme Court.
Stay tuned for further updates on this unfolding legal saga.
