Liberty Justice Center filed lawsuit on behalf of five US businesses declaring that Trump\u2019s tariffs overstep authority<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A legal advocacy group on Monday asked the US court of international trade to block Donald Trump<\/a>\u2019s sweeping tariffs<\/a> on foreign trading partners, arguing that the president overstepped his authority.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The lawsuit was filed by the Liberty Justice Center, a legal advocacy group, on behalf of five US businesses that import goods from countries targeted by the tariffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNo one person should have the power to impose taxes that have such vast global economic consequences,\u201d Jeffrey Schwab, Liberty Justice Center\u2019s senior counsel, said in a statement<\/a>. \u201cThe Constitution gives the power to set tax rates \u2013 including tariffs \u2013 to Congress, not the President.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Liberty Justice Center is the litigation arm of the Illinois Policy Institute, a free market thinktank. It was instrumental in the supreme court case Janus v AFSCME in which it successfully fought to weaken public labor unions collective bargaining power.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to the group\u2019s statement, the tariffs case was filed on behalf of five owner-operated businesses who have been severely harmed by the tariffs. The businesses include a New York-based company specializing in the importation and distribution of wines and spirits, an e-commerce business specializing in the production and sale of sportfishing tackle, a company that manufactures ABS pipe in the United States using imported ABS resin from South Korea and Taiwan, a small business based in Virginia that makes educational electronic kits and musical instruments, and a Vermont-based brand of women\u2019s cycling apparel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Representatives of the White House did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Trump administration faces a similar lawsuit<\/a> in Florida<\/a> federal court, where a small business owner has asked a judge to block tariffs imposed on China.<\/p>\n\n\n\n