Kornitzky Grp., LLC v. Elwell
Kornitzky Grp., LLC v. Elwell
Opinion of the Court
Per Curiam *638Upon consideration of the motion of respondent FAA for stay of oral argument due to lapse in appropriations, and the opposition thereto, and the motion of petitioner for expedited consideration, it is
ORDERED that the motion for stay of oral argument be denied. It is
FURTHER ORDERED that the motion for expedited consideration be dismissed as moot.
Srinivasan, Circuit Judge, and Edwards, Senior Circuit Judge, concurring in the denial of the motion:
The Antideficiency Act provides that "[a]n officer or employee of the United States Government or of the District of Columbia government may not accept voluntary services for either government or employ personal services exceeding that authorized by law except for emergencies involving the safety of human life or the protection of property."
The Department of Justice has issued a contingency plan setting forth the Department's planned operations during a lapse in appropriations in Fiscal Year 2019. U.S. Dep't of Justice, FY 2019 Contingency Plan (Sept. 11, 2018), https://www.justice.gov/jmd/page/file/1015676/download. The Department's plan "assumes that the Judicial Branch will continue to operate through the furlough."
Our disposition of this motion is perfectly consistent with this court's application of § 1342 in prior cases. For example, when federal appropriations lapsed in 2013, resulting in a "shutdown" from October 1 to October 17, 2013, the court received Government motions to stay oral argument in at least sixteen cases. Every one of these motions was denied; and every time, the Government then participated in oral argument. See Order, Wilson v. Cox, No. 12-5070 (D.C. Cir. Oct. 16, 2013); Order, Am. Tort Reform Ass'n v. OSHA , No. 12-1229 (D.C. Cir. Oct. 9, 2013); Order, Janko v. Gates, No. 12-5017 (D.C. Cir. Oct. 9, 2013); Order, Mittleman v. Postal Regulatory Comm'n, No. 12-1095 (D.C. Cir. Oct. 9, 2013); Order, Roane v. Leonhart, No. 12-5020 (D.C. Cir. Oct. 9, 2013); Order, United States v. Regenerative Sciences, LLC, No. 12-5254 (D.C. Cir. Oct. 9, 2013); Order, Aamer v. Obama , No. 13-5223 (D.C. Cir. Oct. 8, 2013); Order, Daimler Trucks N. Am. LLC v. EPA, No. 12-1433 (D.C. Cir. Oct. 8, 2013); Order, *639Howard R.L. Cook & Tommy Shaw Found. for Black Emps. of the Library of Cong. v. Billington, No. 12-5193 (D.C. Cir. Oct. 7, 2013); Order, Nat. Res. Def. Council v. EPA , No. 10-1371 (D.C. Cir. Oct. 3, 2013); Order, Ctr. for Biological Diversity v. EPA, No. 12-1238 (D.C. Cir. Oct. 2, 2013); Order, Pub. Emps. for Envtl. Responsibility v. U.S. Section, Int'l Boundary & Water Comm'n, U.S.-Mex., No. 12-5158 (D.C. Cir. Oct. 2, 2013); Order, Sledge v. Fed. Bureau of Prisons, No. 12-5287 (D.C. Cir. Oct. 2, 2013); Order, Town of Barnstable, Mass. v. FAA , No. 12-1362 (D.C. Cir. Oct. 2, 2013); Order, Adirondack Med. Ctr. v. Sebelius, No. 12-5366 (D.C. Cir. Oct. 1, 2013); Order, McKinley v. Fed. Hous. Fin. Agency, No. 12-5267 (D.C. Cir. Oct. 1, 2013).
In every one of these motions, Government counsel specifically cited the statute at issue here,
Finally, during the current Government shutdown, our practice has been the same. See, e.g., Order, Leader Commc'ns, Inc. v. FAA , No. 18-1147 (D.C. Cir. Jan. 7, 2019) (denying motion to stay briefing); Order, Figueroa v. Pompeo, No. 18-5064 (D.C. Cir. Jan. 3, 2019) (denying motion to stay oral argument).
The dissent cites an order issued in Estate of Klieman v. Palestinian Authority in support of its position regarding the meaning of
Randolph, Senior Circuit Judge, dissenting:
The Constitution states that "no money shall be drawn from the treasury, but in consequence of appropriations made by law." U.S. Const. art. I, § 9, cl. 7. The treasury is also protected by the Anti-Deficiency Act, which prohibits employing federal personnel in advance of appropriations except in emergencies, unless otherwise authorized by law.
In light of the current government "shutdown," the Federal Aviation Administration moved for a stay of the oral argument scheduled for January 11, 2019. The FAA explained that under *640
What then is the rationale for denying the FAA's motion?
It cannot be that having oral argument in this case on January 11, 2019, will avert some emergency within the meaning of § 1342. An opinion of the Office of Legal Counsel concludes, correctly I believe, that "the emergencies exception applies only to cases of threat to human life or property where the threat can be reasonably said to be near at hand and demanding of immediate response." Government Operations in the Event of a Lapse in Appropriations,
Perhaps the idea is that the Judiciary is free to disregard the restrictions of § 1342. But it seems to me that a federal court may refuse to comply with this statute only if it is unconstitutional. Given the Appropriations Clause of the Constitution, the constitutionality of § 1342 is beyond doubt.
Or perhaps the idea is that because § 1342 contains the clause "exceeding that authorized by law," judges may circumvent the statutory restriction by authorizing federal officers and employees to show up in court. This, of course, is blatant bootstrapping. A court order requiring or authorizing a government attorney's presence may immunize the attorney from the sanctions for violating § 1342. See
The majority opinion, which itself contains no legal analysis, relies on orders denying stays during shutdowns.
Section 1342 states, in relevant part: "An officer or employee of the United States Government or of the District of Columbia government may not accept voluntary services for either government or employ personal services exceeding that authorized by law except for emergencies involving the safety of human life or the protection of property."
The Department of Justice "construe[d] the 'authorized by law' exception contained within 31 U.S.C. § [1342] as exempting from the prohibition enacted by the second clause of that section not only those obligations in advance of appropriations for which express or implied authority may be found in the enactments of Congress, but also those obligations necessarily incident to presidential intiatives [sic] undertaken within his constitutional powers."
On the other hand, the Administrative Office of United States Courts, in a press release on January 7, 2019, reported that federal courts, in response to motions of the Department of Justice, "have issued orders suspending, postponing, or holding in abeyance civil cases in which the government is a party for a limited period, subject to further consideration, or until appropriated funds become available." Press Release, United States Courts, Judiciary Operating on Limited Funds During Shutdown (Jan. 7, 2019). See also Estate of Klieman v. Palestinian Authority, No. 15-7034 (D.C. Cir. Jan. 3, 2019) (per curiam order), granting the Justice Department's § 1342 motion for a stay of a briefing deadline in light of the government shutdown.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- KORNITZKY GROUP, LLC, D/B/A AeroBearings, LLC v. Daniel K. ELWELL, Acting Administrator, Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board
- Cited By
- 2 cases
- Status
- Published