POLITICS OCTOBER 26, 2018 / 11:58 AM / UPDATED 21 HOURS AGO

Judge rebuffs Trump administration on census question trial

Andrew Chung
3 MIN READ

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A federal judge on Friday rejected a bid by President Donald Trump’s administration to halt a trial set to start on Nov. 5 testing the legality of its contentious decision to ask people taking part in the 2020 U.S. census whether they are citizens.

Manhattan U.S. District Judge Jesse Furman said a postponement of the trial could hinder a final resolution of the case before the government begins printing the census forms next year. “Time is of the essence,” Furman said in the ruling.

Even before the judge had acted, the administration also asked a New York federal appeals court to put the trial on hold temporarily, as well as other pre-trial activity, until the U.S. Supreme Court resolves a dispute over evidence, including whether Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross can be forced to answer questions about the politically charged decision.

The Supreme Court on Monday blocked Ross’ pre-trial deposition and gave the administration until next Monday to appeal all of the trial judge’s orders regarding compelling documents and other testimony before trial.

-snip-