published Sep 25, 2018, 5:01:52 PM, by Chris Dolmetsch
(Bloomberg) —

The Trump administration failed to stop lawsuits over its decision to ask residents about their citizenship on census forms and Acting Assistant Attorney General John Gore will be required to answer questions under oath.

A federal appeals court in New York on Tuesday rejected a challenge from the Commerce Department to U.S. District Judge Jesse Furman’s ruling that allowed evidence gathering to proceed and required Gore to sit for a deposition.

Furman applied case law and made “careful factual findings” in reaching his decision, the appeals panel said. The appeals court decision comes just two days after Furman ordered Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross to be deposed in the case, saying his “intent and credibility” are at issue.

Advocacy groups including the American Civil Liberties Union and more than a dozen states, cities and counties sued the department over Ross’s decision to add the citizenship question to the 2020 census, saying the move discriminates against immigrants and will reduce the accuracy of the count by reducing participation.

To contact the reporter on this story: Chris Dolmetsch in New York State Supreme Court in Manhattan at cdolmetsch@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: David Glovin at dglovin@bloomberg.net Joe Schneider
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