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Inslee Vows 'Resistance Everywhere' Approach To Trump Administration

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee met with the press Thursday and discussed how the state will move forward under President Trump.
Jeanie Lindsay
/
Northwest News Network
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee met with the press Thursday and discussed how the state will move forward under President Trump.

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee is vowing to continue to resist policies from President Donald Trump. At a news conference Thursday, the Democrat said Washington has been “appropriately bold and protective” of its interests.

“We have been damaged,” Inslee said in reference to Trump’s executive order on immigration and refugees. “We believe our economy has been damaged. We believe that our universities and researchers have been damaged, we believe our families have been disrupted unnecessarily. And we will continue with our position.”

Inslee said the fact Washington was the first state to file a lawsuit against Trump’s executive order on immigration and refugees should be indicative of the state’s attitude toward the new administration.

“Resistance is not futile,” Inslee said. “It is both necessary and productive and we will demonstrate that resistance everywhere, every way, every time we think that our interests our jeopardized.”

Late Thursday, Inslee welcomed the decision of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals denying the Trump administration’s request to reinstate his travel ban.

“I just saw a tweet from the President, he said ‘see you in court.’ Well, Mr. President we just saw you in court and we beat you,” Inslee said.

Inslee urged Trump to abandon the legal fight, but added that he will respect the ultimate decision of the courts regardless of how the immigration case is decided.

“And I would encourage all public officials to show a little more respect for the courts rather than intimidation and attacking them,” Inslee said in a not-so-veiled reference to comments Trump has made about the judge in the case.

It’s not just immigration that Inslee is prepared to battle the Trump administration over. He specifically mentioned concerns he has about actions Trump may take on healthcare and climate change.

Asked if he’s concerned Attorney General Jeff Sessions might challenge Washington’s legal marijuana market, Inslee said “I would suggest to the White House that this is not a fight they should pick.”

Inslee said the state has no immediate “action plan” to sue the Trump administration again. But he said he and his team are engaged in “long-term thinking” about how to respond to actions from the new president.

Copyright 2017 Northwest News Network

Since January 2004, Austin Jenkins has been the Olympia-based political reporter for the Northwest News Network. In that position, Austin covers Northwest politics and public policy as well as the Washington State legislature. You can also see Austin on television as host of TVW's (the C–SPAN of Washington State) Emmy-nominated public affairs program "Inside Olympia." Prior to joining the Northwest News Network, Austin worked as a television reporter in Seattle, Portland and Boise. Austin is a graduate of Garfield High School in Seattle and Connecticut College in New London, Connecticut. Austin’s reporting has been recognized with awards from the Association of Capitol Reporters and Editors, Public Radio News Directors Incorporated and the Society of Professional Journalists.
Austin Jenkins
Since January 2004, Austin Jenkins has been the Olympia-based political reporter for the Northwest News Network. In that position, Austin covers Northwest politics and public policy, as well as the Washington State Legislature. You can also see Austin on television as host of TVW's (the C–SPAN of Washington State) Emmy-nominated public affairs program "Inside Olympia."