Commerce sec'y suggested citizenship question to DOJ., according to memo, contradicting testimony

[DonViejo]

Commerce secretary suggested citizenship question to Justice Dept., according to memo, contradicting his congressional testimony

By Tara Bahrampour
June 22 at 5:07 PM

In a new twist in the battle over adding a controversial citizenship question to the 2020 Census, Secretary Wilbur Ross filed an unexpected memo Thursday revealing that he was already considering adding the question when he began his job in February 2017, after hearing from other senior administration officials on the subject.

The statement contradicts his earlier testimony to Congress saying he explored adding the question in response to a December 2017 request by the Department of Justice.

In the memo, filed in response to litigation challenging the question, Ross said he and his staff had “inquired whether the Department of Justice (DOJ) would support, and if so would request, inclusion of a citizenship question.”

The memo sparked speculation that as-yet unreleased documents may exist showing Ross was actively discussing the question far earlier than he had indicated.

The administration has said the question of citizenship, which has not appeared on a decennial census since 1950, is needed to enforce the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Critics say that it is not necessary for that purpose and that it is political chess move meant to deter immigrants and their families from filling out the census form.

more
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/social-issues/memo-from-commerce-secretary-seems-to-contradict-his-testimony-on-census-citizenship-question/2018/06/22/4a324666-7658-11e8-9780-b1dd6a09b549_story.html

[dalton99a]

1. They all lie, cheat, and steal

It's a job requirement in Trumpworld