Page 4 - ARUBA TODAY

A4 U.S. NEWS
Tuesday 16 May 2017
Federal judges ask if travel ban is biased against Muslims

ed to set aside a law that is citizens of Iran, Libya, So-
neutral on its face and neu- malia, Sudan, Syria and
tral in its operation on the Yemen. The judges will de-
basis of largely campaign cide whether to uphold a
trail comments made by a Hawaii judge’s decision in
private citizen running for March that blocked the
office,” he said. ban.
Further, Wall said the presi- Last week, judges on the
dent had backed off the 4th Circuit Court of Ap-
comments he made during peals heard arguments
the campaign, clarifying over whether to affirm a
that “what he was talking Maryland judge’s deci-
about was Islamic terror- sion putting the ban on
ist groups and the coun- ice. They also questioned
tries that sponsor or shelter whether they could con-
them.” sider Trump’s campaign
Neal Katyal, who represent- statements, with one judge
ed Hawaii, a plaintiff in the asking if there was anything
lawsuit, expressed disbelief other than “willful blind-
at that argument and said ness” that would prevent
Trump had repeatedly spo- them from doing so.
Law enforcement officials stand outside a federal courthouse in Seattle, Monday, May 15, 2017,
as a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals hears arguments inside over Ha- ken of a Muslim ban during Dozens of advocates for
waii’s lawsuit challenging President Donald Trump’s revised travel ban. Trump’s executive would the presidential campaign refugees and immigrants
suspend the nation’s refugee program and temporarily bar new visas for citizens of Iran, Libya, and after. rallied outside the fed-
Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. “This is a repeated pattern eral courthouse in Seattle,
(AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) of the president,” Katyal some carrying “No Ban, No
said. Wall” signs.
By GENE JOHNSON ban discriminates against travel ban, told the three- The 9th Circuit panel was Wall’s insistence that the
Associated Press Muslims and zeroed in on judge panel of the 9th U.S. hearing arguments over travel ban should be up-
SEATTLE (AP) — Federal the president’s campaign Circuit Court of Appeals Hawaii’s lawsuit challeng- held because it is “neutral,”
judges on Monday pep- statements, the second that the executive order ing the travel ban, which without reference to Islam,
pered a lawyer for Presi- time in a week the rhetoric should be reinstated be- would suspend the nation’s drew pointed questions
dent Donald Trump with has faced judicial scrutiny. cause it falls well within the refugee program and tem- from Judge Richard Paez.
questions about whether Acting Solicitor General president’s authority.
the administration’s travel Jeffrey Wall, defending the “No one has ever attempt- porarily bar new visas for q
Speaker Ryan urges Georgia Republicans to resist upset bid

Handel, an established
By BILL BARROW
Associated Press face in Georgia politics as
a former secretary of state,
DUNWOODY, Ga. (AP)
— Speaker Paul Ryan on typically tries to downplay
the national significance of
Monday implored Geor- her contest.
gia voters to vote Repub- But she stuck with the
lican in next month’s spe- theme Monday, blasting
cial election, linking the Ossoff as Pelosi’s “hand-
Democratic candidate in picked candidate.”
the surprisingly competitive “Give me the chance,
House race to the Califor- and I’ll work with Speaker
nia liberal who leads the Ryan,” she said, insisting
rival party in the House. that Republicans won’t
“The left and Nancy Pelosi allow Pelosi to “steal this
... are trying to hit you with seat.” She also empha-
an avalanche of televi- sized that she has lived and
sion,” Ryan said, to drum worked in the district, unlike
up support “for a guy who Ossoff, who was raised in
does not share your val- the district but now lives in
ues.” Atlanta, a few miles south
Ryan delivered the mes- of the 6th District line.
sage alongside Republi- That argument appeals
can Karen Handel, saying Jennifer Thompson protests a scheduled visit by House Speaker Paul Ryan at a campaign event to residents like Jim Paine,
her opponent, 30-year-old for Republican candidate for 6th congressional district Karen Handel in Dunwoody, Ga., Mon- a former Alpharetta city
Jon Ossoff, is a liberal in day, May 15, 2017. councilman, who cited
the mold of House Minor- (AP Photo/David Goldman) Handel’s previous elected
ity Leader Nancy Pelosi, D- dent Donald Trump. licans’ monopoly control Trump and Ryan, particu- experience. “She has done
Calif. A Republican has held the of Washington are playing larly over the GOP’s plans it in county government
Ryan’s visit comes amid Georgia seat since 1979, with voters back home. that they say will gut the and state government,
polls that show a tight race but now the race is being Dozens of protesters gath- 2010 health care law. and she’s done it in the dis-
in Georgia’s 6th Congres- viewed alongside a May ered outside the rally site Democrats need to flip 24 trict,” Paine said, taking a
sional District, where Ossoff 25 House special election ahead of Ryan’s appear- seats to reclaim a House dig at Ossoff, a 30-year-old
has become a national in Montana as a barometer ance, wielding signs and majority and oust Ryan as who lives just south of the
face for opposition to Presi- for how Trump and Repub- offering chants blasting speaker. district line in Atlanta. q