Trump Faction Unintentionally Publishes Document Criticizing Their Argument Against Congestion Tolling
New York City's Congestion Pricing Showdown: Behind the Scenes
In the heart of the Big Apple, New York City's congestion pricing system, launched on January 5th, 2025, has made waves by reducing traffic congestion and generating substantial revenue. However, a power struggle has unfolded with the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the federal government, spearheaded by Secretary Sean Duffy, aiming to dismantle the program.
A recent turn of events has shed light on an curious sequence of events, as the Department of Justice (DoJ) appears to have inadvertently exposed its stance on the matter. An 11-page document, uploaded and then quickly removed from the ongoing lawsuit between the MTA and DOT, revealed the DoJ's internal opinion that Duffy's bid to scrap the tolls is "highly unlikely" to find favor in the court.
Initially sent on April 11 to DOT's senior trial attorney, Erin Hendrixson, the document advised her team to reassess their strategy or risk losing their case. The DOT's defense of Duffy's decision to declare the project illegal was met with a stern warning from the DoJ, stating that the move was contrary to law, pretextual, procedurally arbitrary, and violated due process. The DoJ's attorneys concluded that it's "extremely unlikely" that courts would uphold Duffy's decision on these grounds.
In an attempt to adopt a more defensible position, the DoJ recommended that the DOT argue that the toll doesn't align with the agency's goals and was canceled "as a matter of changed agency priorities." Unsurprisingly, this argument has reportedly fallen flat within the DOT.
The unfortunate twist came when the DoJ inadvertently made the document public. Confirming the error, the DoJ filed a letter with the court, acknowledging the accidental upload of a privileged document and requesting it be permanently sealed. Despite the document's widespread availability, the court opted for a temporary seal.
The DoJ's clumsy mishap pales in comparison to the DOT's highly reactive behavior. In a statement to Courthouse News, a DOT spokesperson, affectionately referred to as "the Unnamed One," questioned the competence of the DoJ's legal team or whether their document upload was a calculated resistance move. The spokesperson went on to call it "legally malpractice" and expressed disappointment at the DoJ's continued descent into disgrace.
As the debate over congestion pricing rages on, it's clear that both camps are engaged in a intense game of legal chess, with the congestion pricing system's future hanging in the balance.
- Gizmodo reported on the intense legal battle surrounding New York City's congestion pricing system, saying the Department of Justice (DoJ) believes Secretary Duffy's bid to dismantle the program is "highly unlikely" to succeed.
- The tech sphere is abuzz with the news that the DoJ accidentally made public an 11-page document discussing their stance on the congestion pricing lawsuit between the MTA and DOT.
- The document, addressed to DOT's senior trial attorney, Erin Hendrixson, advised reevaluating the DOT's strategy to avoid losing the case, labeling Duffy's move as "contrary to law," pretextual, procedurally arbitrary, and violating due process.
- As the future of the congestion pricing system hangs in the balance, the Department of Transportation (DOT), in a statement to General News, criticized the DoJ's legal team for their "legally malpractice" and questioned their competence or intentions.
- The technology world is closely watching the unfolding events, with many speculating that the lawsuit and DOT's response could set a significant policy-and-legislation precedent in the realm of crime-and-justice and politics.
- As the congestion pricing showdown continues, tech enthusiasts are following the legal maneuvers, aware that the final policy decision could have far-reaching implications, impacting the city's traffic congestion, revenue generation, and the broader technology landscape.
