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Census case judge blocks DOJ bid to switch legal teams

Photo: Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images

A federal judge hearing lawsuits in New York concerning the Trump administration's attempt to include a citizenship question in the 2020 Census said Tuesday it can't switch legal teams without providing "satisfactory reasons" to do so.

Why it matters: It's another blow for the Trump administration as it pushes to include the question in the 2020 Census. U.S. District Judge Jesse Furman wrote in a court order that the Justice Department's attorney switch plan was "patently deficient."

What he's saying: President Trump went after Furman as he tweeted his frustration at the order.

"So now the Obama appointed judge on the Census case (Are you a Citizen of the United States?) won’t let the Justice Department use the lawyers that it wants to use. Could this be a first?"

The big picture: The order does not entirely prevent the Trump administration from switching legal teams. Furman said any new motions to withdraw must be "supported by a signed and sworn affidavit from each counsel seeking to withdraw" and satisfactory reasons for doing so and to honor any future mandated appearances or court sanctions.

This article has been updated to include Trump's remarks.

Go deeper: Trump publicly weighs executive order on citizenship question

Go deeper

Rebecca Falconer
19 mins ago - Politics & Policy

UN poll: Most see climate change as global emergency amid pandemic

Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg (C) fronts a Fridays For Future protest at the Swedish Parliament in Stockholm in September. Photo: Jonathan Nacksrtrand/AFP via Getty Images

64% of people from around the world say climate change is a global emergency, a United Nations poll published Wednesday finds.

Why it matters: It's biggest global survey on climate change ever conducted, with some 1.2 million participants from 50 countries — including the U.S. where 65% of those surveyed view climate change as an emergency.

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Lachlan Markay
7 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Collins helps contractor before pro-Susan PAC gets donation

Sen. Susan Collins during her reelection campaign. Photo: Scott Eisen/Getty Images

A PAC backing Sen. Susan Collins in her high-stakes reelection campaign received $150,000 from an entity linked to the wife of a defense contractor whose firm Collins helped land a federal contract, new public records show.

Why it matters: The executive, Martin Kao of Honolulu, leaned heavily on his political connections to boost his business, federal prosecutors say in an ongoing criminal case against him. The donation linked to Kao was veiled until last week.

Go deeper (2 min. read)Arrow
Lachlan Markay
7 hours ago - Politics & Policy

How cutting GOP corporate cash could backfire

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

Companies pulling back on political donations, particularly to members of Congress who voted against certifying President Biden's election win, could inadvertently push Republicans to embrace their party's rightward fringe.

Why it matters: Scores of corporate PACs have paused, scaled back or entirely abandoned their political giving programs. While designed to distance those companies from events that coincided with this month's deadly siege on the U.S. Capitol, research suggests the moves could actually empower the far-right.

Go deeper (1 min. read)Arrow