Washington Gov. Jay Inslee is vowing to continue to resist policies from President Donald Trump. At a news conference Thursday, the Democrat said Washington has been “appropriately bold and protective” of its interests.
“We have been damaged,” Inslee said in reference to Trump’s executive order on immigration and refugees. “We believe our economy has been damaged. We believe that our universities and researchers have been damaged, we believe our families have been disrupted unnecessarily. And we will continue with our position.”
Inslee said the fact Washington was the first state to file a lawsuit against Trump’s executive order on immigration and refugees should be indicative of the state’s attitude toward the new administration.
“Resistance is not futile,” Inslee said. “It is both necessary and productive and we will demonstrate that resistance everywhere, every way, every time we think that our interests our jeopardized.”
Late Thursday, Inslee welcomed the decision of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals denying the Trump administration’s request to reinstate his travel ban.
“I just saw a tweet from the President, he said ‘see you in court.’ Well, Mr. President we just saw you in court and we beat you,” Inslee said.
SEE YOU IN COURT, THE SECURITY OF OUR NATION IS AT STAKE!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 9, 2017
Inslee urged Trump to abandon the legal fight, but added that he will respect the ultimate decision of the courts regardless of how the immigration case is decided.
“And I would encourage all public officials to show a little more respect for the courts rather than intimidation and attacking them,” Inslee said in a not-so-veiled reference to comments Trump has made about the judge in the case.
It’s not just immigration that Inslee is prepared to battle the Trump administration over. He specifically mentioned concerns he has about actions Trump may take on healthcare and climate change.
Asked if he’s concerned Attorney General Jeff Sessions might challenge Washington’s legal marijuana market, Inslee said “I would suggest to the White House that this is not a fight they should pick.”
Inslee said the state has no immediate “action plan” to sue the Trump administration again. But he said he and his team are engaged in “long-term thinking” about how to respond to actions from the new president.
