Yesterday, SCOTUSblog reported on the opposition by National Right to Work Foundation attorneys to the Solicitor General’s self-contradictory motion for divided arguments in the Foundation’s Locke v. Karass Supreme Court case. (For more background on the SG’s unwelcome machinations and the Foundation’s principled opposition, read this post.)
The SCOTUSblog post brings to light this new tidbit of news: "Jeremiah Collins, a lawyer for the respondent, said the union did not plan to file an opposition."
Of course he won’t. The Solicitor General is making Big Labor’s legal arguments. Why not add another lawyer to the union legal team at taxpayer expense?
If the Solicitor General forces his way in, Foundation staff attorneys representing a group of Maine State employees may get 5 fewer minutes to argue their case. Looking at his misguided legal brief (which the union later cited 14 times in its own brief), there can be little doubt that the SG would use the time to make the union officials’ case against the employees and the First Amendment.
As the Foundation attorneys’ response makes clear, the Administration’s interest in the case is extremely tenuous and far fetched, and under court rules it should therefore be barred from participation in oral arguments (as in similar situations in the past).
Welcome to Big Labor’s anti-employee legal team, Mr. Solicitor General. Thank you very little.