Documents Reveal Collusion Between Justice Department and ACLU in Arizona Lawsuit

Thursday, January 27, 2011, 5:10 PM EST - posted on NumbersUSA

Documents obtained by Judicial Watch through a Freedom of Information request reveal that the Department of Justice colluded with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) while preparing its lawsuit against Arizona and the state's immigration enforcement law. Emails between the two organizations that were obtained by Judicial Watch revealed information sharing and strategy discussions.

One email exchange obtained by Judicial Watch involved the leader of the ACLU's Immigrants' Right Project, Lucas Guttentag, and the Deputy Solicitor General, Edwin Kneedler. The email exchange revealed that the two men had met briefly to discuss their respective cases and discussed district court rules and legal strategies.

Another email exchange revealed a conversation between ACLU staffers and the Assistant U.S. Attorney Josh Wilkenfeld who signed the government's pleadings in the lawsuit against Arizona.

“It is one thing to share the ACLU’s disrespect for the rule of law but it is quite another to collude with the organization on a prosecutorial strategy against the State of Arizona. Frankly, these new documents show it is hard to tell where the ACLU ends and the Justice Department begins,â€