Mobile UPI  |   About UPI  |   UPI en Español  |   UPI Arabic  |   UPIU  |   My Account
Search:
Go

Panel: Bush's sonar order unconstitutional

|
|
 
  
Published: Jan. 23, 2008 at 2:59 PM

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 23 (UPI) -- California officials say President George Bush acted unconstitutionally when he pushed for the U.S. Navy to use banned sonar linked to marine mammal deaths.

The California Coastal Commission argued in in federal court Tuesday that Bush violated the Constitution's separation of powers doctrine by moving to exempt Navy sonar training exercises from a federal ban, the Los Angeles Times said.

"The notion that the president can act like some medieval autocrat and impose the law as he sees it violates the fundamental basis of the American Constitution," said Calif. Attorney General Jerry Brown, whose staff lawyers represent the commission.

Bush issued an order last week overturning a federal judge's ruling telling the Navy to avoid sonar exercises within 12 miles of southern California's coast, areas frequented by dolphins and whales. Bush has said the naval training exercises are necessary for national security.

Topics: George Bush, Jerry Brown
Recommended Stories
© 2008 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Any reproduction, republication, redistribution and/or modification of any UPI content is expressly prohibited without UPI's prior written consent.

Order reprints
  
Join the conversation
Most Popular Collections
The Tibetan Moniam Festival in China Super Bowl XLVI ticker tape victory parade The making of the Oscars
The Chicago Auto Show The Most Desirable Women of 2012 Tu Bishvat Migron settlement
Additional Top News Stories
1 of 21
President Obama Signs Smuggling Prevention Act at White House
View Caption
fark
If we timewarped back by 2000 years, what job would you most qualified to do? No, you can't bring...
BAD: getting caught in a landslide while hiking. WORSE: getting struck by lightning while trying...
Weepy eyes, hot chix, Jersey Shore Ronnie and a guy with mini fishing reels stuck in his beard....
French roadbuilders find 21 German WWI soldiers...and 1 goat
Photoshop this crazy old coot in the cold
Anonymous ends the week by bringing down the CIA webpage. *golf clap*