9 hours ago • Bret Hayworth
Sioux City Journal
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Rep. Steve King speaks during the election watch party at Santa Maria Winery in Carroll, Iowa, on Nov. 6, following his victory over Christie Vilsack. Earlier this year, King said he would file a lawsuit against President Barack Obama's administration over changes to immigration policy. (Jim Lee, Sioux City Journal)



"I'm Suing the President," an email from U.S. Rep. Steve King, R-Kiron, said earlier this summer. Not exactly.

At least not yet.

King is upset that the Barack Obama administration changed procedures on deportation, through the June 15 announcement that illegal immigrants who came to the U.S. as children could have a chance to stay in the country and work.

The last time I spoke substantively with King about the lawsuit came during a Journal editorial board meeting on Sept. 24. At the time, he said he was delaying the lawsuit until after the November election. He previously said the case would be submitted near Labor Day.

"We are close to the election. It would be viewed as a political initiative anyway," he said in September.

At that time, King said he hoped to file the case by late 2012 rather than early 2013. King said he was working through the list of plaintiffs that could be part of a lawsuit, as well as picking the judicial district for the filing.

On Monday, King's spokeswoman Brittany Lesser confirmed that the lawsuit has not been filed, adding that King has a meeting this week to figure out how to proceed.

An email from King in the summer talked about his preparations for the lawsuit:

"By now I'm sure you've heard about the President's latest outrageous circumvention of the Constitution. As a proud American, I'm angry and I bet you are, too. After all, we're a republic, not a monarchy! In this country, the people have a voice, and I intend to make sure it's heard at the highest levels of government—all the way up to the Supreme Court!

"Will you join me in the fight to protect our rights by making a contribution of $25, $50, $100 or more to remind President Obama and the Democrats that we won't ever be silenced."

In a few days as 2013 arrives, perhaps by the time he files a lawsuit, King will move from representing Iowa's 5th congressional district to being the U.S. House member for the new 4th congressional district.

Politically Speaking: King's lawsuit against President Obama languishes