GONZO’S WORLD: “LOOKIN’ FOR LAW IN ALL THE WRONG PLACES” — U.S. District Judge Richard A. Jones Certainly Couldn’t Find Any Traces Of Law In Gonzo’s So-Called “Legal Memo” Submitted In City of Seattle v. Trump!

Judge Richard A. Jones of the WD WA wrote on Oc. 19, 2017 in deciding a motion in  City of Seattle v. Trump:

“In the brief, twopage memo, Defendant Sessions does not offer any legal interpretations or determinations that indicate the scope or constitutionality of the Executive Order. He merely sets forth boundaries—arrived at in response to pending litigation—by which he intends to enforce the Executive Order. The AG Memo fails to meet traditional notions of what one would expect to constitute a legal analysis.”

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Those with Westlaw Access can find Judge Jones’s complete opinion at 2017 WL 4700144. The case pertains to Sessions’s so far futile attempts to strip Federal Law Enforcement funding from “Sanctuary Cities.” Yup, that’s right, the best way to deal with jurisdictions whose views on law enforcement you disagree with is by taking away funding for law enforcement! That will make America safer for sure!

I’d state it slightly differently, “Jeff Sessions fails to meet traditional notions of what one would expect to constitute competent performance by a U.S. Attorney General.

I’ve noted several times that Gonzo’s so-called “legal” positions are apparently based largely on policy determinations which were cribbed from or written for him by various restrictionist, homophobic, and voter suppression groups.

PWS

10-24-17

THWARTED: Judge Stops Feds From Interfering With Pro Bono Help!

US judge blocks restriction on immigrant legal help – San Francisco Chronicle

Gene Johnson reports for AP:

SEATTLE (AP) — A federal judge temporarily blocked a Justice Department decision that immigrant legal rights organizations around the country said would curtail much of the work they do help those facing deportation.

U.S. District Judge Richard Jones issued his ruling Wednesday immediately following oral arguments in a lawsuit brought by the nonprofit Northwest Immigrant Rights Project.

The Justice Department last month sent the group a cease-and-desist letter saying it cannot provide certain legal assistance to immigrants unless it undertakes formal representation of them in court. The nonprofit says it doesn’t have the resources to do that, as formal representation can require intensive investigation of a client’s case and remaining involved until its resolution.

The order would force it and similar groups around the country to stop preparing motions and other documents on behalf of immigrants who represent themselves, the organization said.

The judge agreed that the Justice Department’s action would violate the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project’s constitutional rights to freedom of speech, association and to petition the government, and that the cease-and-desist letter would limit its work — forcing many immigrants to go without legal help, since people facing deportation are not entitled to an attorney the way criminal defendants are. He barred the Justice Department from sending such letters to any other nonprofit organizations doing similar work around the nation.”

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Read the full article at the link.

My good friend and former colleague, retired U.S. Immigration Judge Eliza Klein prepared an affidavit in support of the plaintiffs in this cases.

PWS

05-19-17Jug