Governor files amicus brief in U.S. Court of International Trade, cites harm from new federal tariffs

Unidentified Speaker (Governor) said at a Seattle press conference that he filed a friend-of-the-court brief — an amicus brief — in the U.S. Court of International Trade to support a multistate lawsuit seeking to block recently announced tariffs. "I have filed what's called a friend of the court brief, otherwise referred to as an amicus brief, in the US Court of International Trade," he said, adding the brief has been accepted and is part of the judicial record.

The governor framed the filing as a way to make the court aware of harms beyond direct state-government costs. He said a coalition of about 24 public- and private-sector partners joined the brief, including labor unions, local businesses and economic-development groups, and thanked pro bono attorneys from the Seattle law firm Core Cronin and Attorney General Nick Brown's office for assisting without taxpayer cost.

"These tariffs amount to attacks on Washington families," the governor said, asserting they will "raise prices on everything from homes and electricity to coffee and children's toys." He cited state export and trade figures — Washington shipped roughly $58,000,000,000 in goods abroad last year and handled nearly $120,000,000,000 in exports and imports through state ports — and said as of 2022 exports supported about 160,000 jobs statewide.

Speakers who joined the announcement described real-time effects on workers and businesses. John Holden, president of IAM District 751, said unions support the careful use of tariffs to protect key industries but argued that tariffs alone do not rebuild domestic capacity. "Tariffs must be accompanied by real investment in infrastructure, incentives, and workforce development policy," Holden said, urging Congress to pair trade measures with apprenticeship and workforce programs.

Ryan Calkins, a commissioner at the Port of Seattle and the Northwest Seaport Alliance, described short-term volume swings and operational strain. "We're seeing a roller coaster," Calkins said, adding that businesses had rushed orders ahead of a 90-day pause with China and that the peaks-and-valleys pattern is "not the optimal way to operate a port facility." Mark Alverson of Local 19 Seattle ILWU said container volume is down "about 10 or 20%" at the Port of Seattle.

Steve Fogg, a partner at Core Cronin who helped prepare the brief pro bono, framed the challenge as a constitutional and rule-of-law issue: "It's Congress, not the president," he said, arguing that tariff authority lies with Congress and calling the administration's actions unlawful. Fogg and the governor said they expect the court to consider the state-level impacts described in the brief.

Reporters asked whether the administration or Congress had been engaged directly; the governor said he is open to conversations with federal officials and has met with ambassadors and members of the congressional delegation but said the speed of the court case made the legal filing the most immediate and effective step. On state fiscal matters, he said he would revisit recently adopted revenue sources as he prepares the supplemental budget, given the uncertainty tariffs and potential federal cuts could create for state revenues.

The press conference concluded with the governor thanking coalition members and noting that additional organizations might be added to the brief as deadlines allow. He and other speakers remained available for one-on-one questions after the event.