The Navajo Nation and four other Native American tribes are following through on their promise to sue Donald Trump in federal court over his decision to massively shrink the Bears Ears National Monument and the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. From The Hill:
“Through the Antiquities Act, Congress delegated to the president the limited authority to designate national monuments and retained to itself the power to revoke or modify national monuments,” the tribes wrote in a statement.
“The proclamation signed by President Trump today is so extreme that it revokes and replaces Bears Ears and thereby violates the Antiquities Act and seizes authority that the Constitution vests solely in Congress.”
President Obama made the national monument designation after years of lobbying by Native American tribes.
The Navajo Nation, Hopi Tribe, Zuni Tribe, Ute Indian Tribe and Ute Mountain Ute Indian Tribe consider much of Bears Ears to be religiously and historically valuable, though the land is owned by the federal government.
For years, the tribes had pushed for the federal government to protect the land, joined by environmental groups. When Congress failed to protect it themselves, Obama created the national monument, amid strong opposition from Republicans and local Utah leaders.
Outdoor gear maker Patagonia will also challenge the Trump administration in federal court.
Once again, Republicans continue to have endless taxpayer dollars to fight lawsuits centered around greedy Republican land and power grabs. See you in court, Donald Trump.