Enforcement of President Trump's Transgender Troop Ban Blocked by Clinton Appointed Federal Judge in Seattle

Calvin Freiburger : Apr 18, 2018
Lifesitenews.com

"Because transgender people have long been subjected to systemic oppression and forced to live in silence, they are a protected class. Therefore, any attempt to exclude them from military service will be looked at with the highest level of care." -US District Judge Marsha Pechman

(Seattle, WA)—[Lifesitenews.com] A federal judge has ruled that President Donald Trump cannot yet enforce his recently-unveiled ban on transgender soldiers in the military. (Image: President Trump/via LifeSiteNews)

US District Judge Marsha Pechman ruled Friday that the injunction currently barring the Pentagon from implementing the ban will remain in place, the Associated Press reports.

The Trump administration revealed the finalized version of the policy late last month. It disqualifies from service "transgender persons with a history or diagnosis of gender dysphoria," specifically those who "may require substantial medical treatment, including medications and surgery," except in "certain limited circumstances."

The administration had requested that the court dissolve the previously-enacted injunction, on the grounds that the final policy addressed several original objections and should be judged separately. But Pechman, who was appointed by Bill Clinton, concluded that the injunction should remain in effect because there hadn't been enough time to evaluate the new ban's constitutionality. She directed both sides to prepare for a trial on the merits of the case.

Pechman declined pro-transgender attorneys' requests to grant a permanent nationwide injunction that would have taken the place of a trial, and directed both sides to prepare their arguments. But she also tipped her hand as to how she was inclined to rule on those arguments.

"Because transgender people have long been subjected to systemic oppression and forced to live in silence, they are a protected class," she wrote. "Therefore, any attempt to exclude them from military service will be looked at with the highest level of care."

Pechman also chided Trump for "failing to identify even one general or military expert he consulted" before first announcing the ban on Twitter, "despite having been ordered to do so repeatedly"...

Click here to continue reading.