Connecticut joins multistate suit to challenge national emergency declaration

Connecticut joined a multistate lawsuit challenging President Trump's declaration of a national emergency to fund a border wall.

News 12 Staff

Feb 20, 2019, 12:07 AM

Updated 2,058 days ago

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Connecticut joins multistate suit to challenge national emergency declaration
Connecticut's state attorney general announced a decision to join a multistate lawsuit challenging President Donald Trump's declaration of a national emergency to fund a border wall.
The lawsuit was expected after the president announced Friday he would declare a national emergency and use money from other sources to build the wall.
The suit argues that Congress alone has the authority to allocate tax dollars. Connecticut Attorney General William Tong says what the president is trying to do is unconstitutional and unlawful.
"This state and the people that live in it feel like we are under tremendous pressure from this president and that our civil rights are being impacted," says Tong.
President Trump says he has the "absolute right" to declare a national emergency.

Tong says some of the money targeted by the president had been earmarked for Connecticut, including Air National Guard projects at Bradley Airport.

"We feel very strongly that we are going to prevail and we ask the court for an injunction in declaratory judgement stopping this president from blowing past Congress and shredding our constitution," says Tong.
News 12 spoke with J.R. Romano, chairman of the Connecticut Republican Party, about the lawsuit.
Romano released a statement saying, "I question if this is a wise use of tax dollars considering the billions Connecticut is in debt. Attorney General Tong's unwillingness to comment on cost to taxpayers should be a warning sign that this is political posturing not leadership."
Tong is picking up where former Attorney General George Jepsen left off in taking the Trump administration to court. Connecticut is currently a co-plaintiff in several suits fighting other controversial policies involving immigration and the environment.