As Hotsheet reported yesterday, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in a television interview in Ecuador this month that the Obama Justice Department “will be bringing a lawsuit” against the controversial Arizona immigration measure signed into law earlier this year…
Now a senior administration official tells CBS News that the federal government will indeed formally challenge the law when Justice Department lawyers are finished building the case. The official said Justice is still working on building the case.
Contacted about Clinton’s comments today, State Department spokesman PJ Crowley said they reflected her beliefs.
“The Secretary was asked about the Arizona law during a TV interview in Ecuador,” he said. “She believes that a better approach is comprehensive immigration reform, and said so. Regarding how far along the legal review is, that is a matter for the Department of Justice.”
I’m with Ed Morrissey:
Wow … just wow. What a tremendously incompetent manner in which to announce the decision. The Obama administration informed the Ecuadorian people of this decision before the White House informed Americans. I’m not sure if that’s Hope and Change, the New Transparency, or Smart Power.
Well, it’s power, at least!