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Federal Judge Considers Blocking Biden’s Extension of Eviction Moratorium
Conservative Brief ^ | 08/09/2021 | Ian Cheong

Posted on 08/09/2021 10:26:53 PM PDT by SeekAndFind

Following the Democrat-run House of Representatives’ failure to extend the moratorium on evictions in the United States, Joe Biden walked back his earlier claim that he lacked the authority to extend the moratorium unanimously.

And now, a federal judge is considering the legality of his order.

Despite his lack of constitutional authority, Biden caved to progressives and extended the moratorium knowing full well that it would not pass muster if brought to the courts.

On Monday, a federal judge rose up to challenge the Biden administration’s order, suggesting that it is engaging in legal “gamesmanship” to resurrect a pandemic-related eviction ban despite indications from the Supreme Court that the measure, enacted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as an emergency health measure, was unlawful.

U.S. District Court Judge Dabney Friedrich made her remarks during a hearing on a request by real-estate brokers and landlords to block the Biden policy, which was rolled out by the CDC last week.

Due to a lack of congressional support, Biden allowed the previous eviction moratorium, which was first enacted during the height of the pandemic last year by former president Trump, to lapse at the end of July.

However, last Tuesday, Biden revived the restrictions due to intense pressure from activists and progressive lawmakers in the Democratic party.

“Given that this order is almost identical to the CDC’s earlier order, as to the effect of it, it’s really hard … to conclude that there’s not a degree of gamesmanship going on,” Friedrich said.

Arguing his case for the landlords and real estate brokers, Brett Shumate, a lawyer for Alabama and Georgia Realtors is challenging the eviction moratorium.

Shumate told the judge that Biden’s renewal of the ban last week amounted to an effort by the presidential administration to defy rulings from federal courts, including the Supreme Court.

The new moratorium is expected to expire on October 3., and applies to areas with high levels of COVID-19 transmission, constituting around 80 percent of counties nationwide.

“The court should not tolerate the government getting away with it,” Shumate said.

Despite his arguments, the federal judge expressed skepticism that an opinion from Justice Brett Kavanaugh, in addition to the votes of other Supreme Court Justices in an emergency ruling issued in July was the equivalent of definitive guidance on how to handle the Biden administration’s reissuing of the moratorium.

According to Politico, Friedrich ruled in May that the earlier version of the moratorium exceeded the authority of the CDC, but agreed to stay her ruling while awaiting an appeal from the Biden administration.

On June 29, the Supreme Court voted 5 to 4 to decline the Realtors’ request to have her ruling take effect and block the moratorium.

Politico reports:

At the hearing Monday, Friedrich — an appointee of former President Donald Trump — noted that while Kavanaugh indicated he was inclined to block any extension of the previous ban beyond July 31, the four justices who voted to block the eviction moratorium never explained their positions.

“None of those justices gave their reasoning, so we don’t know exactly what they thought,” Friedrich said.

Arguing its case for the Biden administration, Justice Department attorney Brian Netter warned that the DC Circuit Court of Appeals has instructed judges to refrain from engaging in that sort of math when interpreting the opinions of the Supreme Court.

“We don’t yet know how the Supreme Court will weigh in,” Netter said.

Shumate responded by recounting the White House’s public comments dating the Supreme Courts June 29 decision foreclosed the option of the executive branch unanimously extending the ban.

Politico reports:

The Biden administration cited the Supreme Court’s decision when it let the original ban imposed by the CDC in September lapse on July 31 and urged Congress to pass legislation extending it. White House officials repeated that explanation for days, with senior adviser Gene Sperling telling reporters that the administration had “double, triple, quadruple checked” its options but that the CDC could not find the legal authority.

Even after the administration reversed course under intense pressure from outraged Democrats, Biden himself cast doubt on the ban’s legality, saying “any call for a moratorium based on the Supreme Court’s recent decision is likely to face obstacles.”

The Biden administration is now arguing that the recent surge in Delta variant cases has prompted a change in circumstance since the Supreme Court made its decision on June 29.

“We’re here today because of the Delta variant because cases have increased seven-fold since the end of June” when the Supreme Court made its opinion, Netter said. “We’re in a new chapter of this pandemic.”


TOPICS: Government; Politics; Society
KEYWORDS: briannetter; eviction; judge; moratorium; propertyrights; realty; rentals; scotus

1 posted on 08/09/2021 10:26:53 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

How lame.

Considers?


2 posted on 08/09/2021 10:30:59 PM PDT by Paladin2 (Critical Marx Theory is The SOLUTION....)
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To: SeekAndFind

The beginning of the end of private property rights. The state will take over the function and the real property. It’s the next step if you think about their aims and goals.


3 posted on 08/09/2021 10:34:00 PM PDT by blackdog (Sophisticated so public policy is not applicable. )
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To: SeekAndFind

Be a shame if Brian Netter fell victim to the Knock-Out Game in DC...


4 posted on 08/09/2021 10:53:05 PM PDT by kiryandil (China Joe and Paycheck Hunter - the Chink in America's defenses)
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To: blackdog
I'm old enough to remember when the Democrat Media would have soiled themselves if Trump had defied the federal courts.

Different now that Senile Puppet Hitler is running the show...

5 posted on 08/09/2021 10:55:49 PM PDT by kiryandil (China Joe and Paycheck Hunter - the Chink in America's defenses)
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To: Paladin2
How lame. Considers?

Well, there is history to consider. America is not what it was.


6 posted on 08/09/2021 11:48:59 PM PDT by montag813
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To: SeekAndFind

In accordance with the ruling of the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, the Franklin County Municipal Court will not follow the eviction moratorium order issued by the CDC on Tuesday. To that end, the Franklin County Municipal Court is legally required to follow that Court’s decision and will accept and process eviction filings.
https://municipalcourt.franklincountyohio.gov/Muni-website/media/Documents/Media%20Releases/2021-08-05-Municipal-Court-Press-Release-Re-CDC-Moratorium.pdf
Courts under Sixth Circuit, Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee, Kentucky following


7 posted on 08/10/2021 1:48:26 AM PDT by griswold3 (When chaos serves the State, the State will encourage chaos.)
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To: griswold3

If people were receiving (they didn’t “make” it) more money on unemployment ..... why didn’t they pay their rent !??


8 posted on 08/10/2021 2:35:41 AM PDT by knarf (qa)
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To: SeekAndFind

Since this is a government taking, at a minimum the government should be ordered to pay those rents it orders canceled.


9 posted on 08/10/2021 2:38:14 AM PDT by xzins (Retired US Army chaplain. Support our troops by praying for their victory. )
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To: All

someone might wake up and do their job?


10 posted on 08/10/2021 2:43:23 AM PDT by newnhdad (Our new motto: USA, it was fun while it lasted.)
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