Trump administration replaces lawyers in NYC congestion pricing challenge [View all]

Source: Reuters

April 24, 2025 4:37 PM EDT Updated 11 hours ago


WASHINGTON, April 24 (Reuters) - The Trump administration is replacing lawyers in the U.S. Attorney's Office in Manhattan after they accidentally filed an internal government letter that cast significant doubt on the Transportation Department's effort to kill New York's congestion pricing program in New York, a government spokesperson said.

Lawyers for the U.S. Attorney's Office erroneously filed an April 11 letter late on Wednesday that said it was very unlikely Judge Lewis Liman or other courts would uphold Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy's decision.

A spokesperson for Duffy said the defense of the government's effort to end congestion pricing would now be handled by the Justice Department's Civil Division in Washington, rather than the U.S. Attorney's Office in Manhattan. The Justice Department did not immediately comment.

The Duffy spokesperson blasted the lawyers from the U.S. Attorney's Office, suggesting they were either incompetent or attempting to intentionally obstruct the effort. "At the very least, it’s legal malpractice. It’s sad to see a premier legal organization continue to fall into such disgrace," the spokesperson said.

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/feds-apologize-accidental-filing-casting-doubt-nyc-congestion-pricing-challenge-2025-04-24/