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4. The Trump administration lied about why she was adding the issue of citizenship.
Ross told Congress that the administration was adding the issue to protect the voting rights of African Americans. It was a ridiculous assertion, especially considering other measures taken by the administration to restrict the voting rights of minorities. Ross used an excuse that Hofeller had previously recommended, noted Hansi Lo Wang of NPR.
"The justification of the Trump administration was just a pretext," writes Joshua Geltzer of Georgetown Law in The Times. "The real reason the Trump administration for the citizenship issue is rooted in the political power of Republicans."
5. The federal courts, citing these lies, ruled against the administration.
After several states and civil rights groups filed lawsuits to block the issue of citizenship, three different federal judges ruled against the administration. The judges stated that Ross misled Congress and the public about the origins of the issue, in violation of federal law.
6. The Supreme Court agreed to hear an appeal and the five Conservatives made it known in their pleadings that they were ready to accept the lies of the administration.
The story here is so overwhelming because it shows that the Trump government has a "discriminatory intent" on certain ethnic groups – which should be enough to overturn the citizenship issue. However, during the oral argument, the five judges appointed by the Republicans seemed wanting to remove the evidence and accept the false justification of the Trump administration.
"Conservative judges are still intent on providing legitimate reasons for adding the question," said Leah Litman, a law professor at the University of California at Irvine in the Los Angeles Times.
The questions asked by the judges during the pleadings are not always a precise guide to their decision. It is still possible that Chief Justice John Roberts, or one of his four Conservative judges, decides to give priority to something other than partisan power. We should know by the end of June, when the court's mandate is about to end.
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