Liberty Justice Center Sues Trump Over Canadian Import Tariffs

The Liberty Justice Center filed a lawsuit Tuesday in the Court of International Trade to challenge 50 percent tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump on various Canadian imports. Filed on behalf of New Jersey-based food importer Gellert Global Group, the suit targets the administration's use of Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930 to penalize Canada for alleged discrimination against American industries.

The tariffs impact a wide range of products, including dairy, alcoholic beverages, paper goods, and hockey sticks. The plaintiffs argue that the president overstepped his legal authority and bypassed congressional safeguards by misapplying the statute to practices that do not constitute discrimination.

This legal challenge follows several previous defeats for the administration regarding tariff initiatives, some of which resulted in the government refunding billions of dollars in duties. A ruling against the administration in this case could again require the repayment of collected funds, including the estimated $40 million in annual taxes on Canadian cheese faced by Gellert Global Group.