That's too many violations to list in this column, but here are some of the more outrageous examples of what the attorneys general call "violations of law" by "an increasingly overreaching federal government."
One consistent aspect of these actions is that the Obama administration is aggressively using administrative agencies to enforce policy objectives that are outside the law and would not be approved by Congress. Not even by Harry Reid's democratic Senate.
In Florida, the Environmental Protection Agency imposed its own unscientific "numeric nutrient" criteria, which would cost billions of dollars for compliance and the loss of thousands of jobs. A federal court found that EPA had violated the law because its rules were not based on sound science and because the EPA failed to prove that its rules would prevent harm to the environment.
In South Carolina, the National Labor Relations Board tried to tell Boeing, a private company, where it could or could not locate a new manufacturing plant and also threatened to sue the state for guaranteeing a secret ballot in union elections. The NLRB backed down after a high-profile battle.
In Arizona, the Obama administration is trying to nullify a referendum passed by the voters requiring individuals registering to vote to show a driver's license or another government-issued document as evidence they are citizens. This case may be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.
The Health and Human Services Agency mandated religious employers, including Catholic, Baptist and Jewish schools, churches and hospitals, to provide all their employees with medical devices prohibited by their religion. Since many are self-insurers, Obama's subsequent "accommodation" only reinforced this attack on religious liberty, so seven attorneys general have filed suit to cancel this anti-religious-liberty mandate.
Obama pressured Congress to pass the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), using procedural shenanigans, against the will of the majority of Americans. More than half the states are now challenging the law's constitutionality in the Supreme Court.
In Oklahoma, the EPA imposed its own federal plan, illegally usurping Oklahoma's authority in the Clean Air Act to determine the state's plan to deal with sources of emissions. The federal plan, which goes beyond the authority granted in the Clean Air Act, will result in a $2 billion cost to install technology and a permanent increase of 15-20 percent in electricity costs, and the Obama administration is fighting Oklahoma's appeal in court.
In Arizona, in violation of the 10th Amendment, Obama's Department of Justice is suing to prevent Arizona from using reasonable means to discourage the illegal entry of aliens across Arizona's border, because they are costing the state so much in medical care, education and crime. This case is now before the Supreme Court.
In Arizona, another violation is that Obama's Department of Justice has granted "reservation status" to a 54-acre plot in Glendale, where the Tohono O'odham Nation plans to build a casino. This means the Obama administration is forcing a family-oriented town, against its will, to become another Las Vegas.
Obama made four appointments to important federal positions (NLRB: three and CFPB: one), which he dishonestly called "recess appointments" in order to evade Senate confirmation hearings on left-wing nominees. Obama ignored the fact that the Senate was not in recess.
The "memo" released by the nine attorneys general confirms that the "administration repeatedly shows disdain for states, federal laws it finds inconvenient, the Constitution and the courts." A statement made by EPA Region VI Administrator Al Armendariz, which became public last week, vividly illustrates the contempt that Obama bureaucrats have for the law.
He described his "philosophy" of EPA enforcement: "kind of like how the Romans used to, you know, conquer villages in the Mediterranean. They'd go into a little Turkish town somewhere, they'd find the first five guys they saw and they'd crucify them. Then, you know, that town was really easy to manage for the next few years."
That wasn't hyperbole. That exactly describes the Obama bureaucrats' attitude about enforcing their policy goals and dictatorial actions.
It is encouraging that we have patriotic state attorneys general in nine states who know the Constitution and are willing to litigate against unconstitutional administration actions. Cheers to the valiant nine attorneys generals: Tom Horne, Arizona; Pam Bondi, Florida; Sam Olens, Georgia; Bill Schuette, Michigan; Scott Pruitt, Oklahoma; Marty Jackley, South Dakota; Alan Wilson, South Carolina; Greg Abbott, Texas; and Ken Cuccinelli, Virginia. We hope more attorneys general will soon join this brave bunch.
Note: I congratulate WND, which is celebrating its 15th anniversary this week. We can always count on WND to give us news that others fail to cover.
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