The judge also said that “there is something surprising, if not unsettling, about Defendants’ aggressive efforts to shield Secretary Ross from having to answer questions about his conduct in adding the citizenship question to the census questionnaire.”
Now there’s a shot across the bow, if ever I’ve seen one.
When I first read the headline, I thought it said that a judge had ordered Ross’ deportation…
Oh, Wilbur!
Definitely intended to get your attention.
By U.S. Coast Guard photo/Petty Officer 3rd Class Michael Hulme - http://cgvi.uscg.mil/media/main.php?g2_itemId=669552, Public Domain, Link
Time for the DoJ to turn Kavanaugh’s law review article into an appeal and argue that:
“Even the lesser burdens of a criminal investigation—including preparing for questioning by criminal investigators—are time-consuming and distracting. Like civil suits, criminal investigations take the President’s Secretary’s focus away from his or her responsibilities to the people. And a President Secretary who is concerned about an ongoing criminal investigation is almost inevitably going to do a worse job.”
Classic perjury trap.
This is excellent news, especially since the judge absolutely nailed them on both the bad faith of the effort to add the question and the maneuvering to keep Ross from testifying. It’s absolutely clear why Ross pushed the question, and that he lied about the reasoning and the Justice Dept. involvement. Now, hopefully the justice system doesn’t get corrupted by Trump/Republican influences and try to allow this totally unjust behavior to go through for the 2020 Census.
Secretary Ross must sit for a deposition because, among other things, his intent and credibility are directly at issue in these cases,”
His intent and credibility have been in doubt? 
Ross is the kind of venal vacuum that gives crony capitalism a bad name /s
The only down side is that the deposition is limited to 4 hours. I figure the old fart is only good for an hour of concentration (which is 59 minutes more than his boss) and will start to free associate by hour three. four hours of that (typical federal depositions are limited to 7 hours) would have been great.
Ross clearly lied, and he is going to be nailed on it. Hopefully when the D’s take over they will refer Ross’s testimony for prosecution for perjury, or better yet, charge him themselves (congress actually has the power to itself prosecute people and jail them, not often done, but we are in unusual times).
Perhaps sneak in a question or two about laundering Russian mob money through the Bank of Cyprus while they’re at it?
Hope they ask him if he expects a personal financial benefit from this change to the census form.
Wishful thinking creeps into everything nowadays.
Droopy’s actually with the good guys:
What is the makeup of the circuit court where the appeal will go?
Time to indict this mofo.