AUTO INDUSTRY/CALIFORNIA/ENVIRONMENT/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Trump administration is opening new fronts in its legal war with California and much of the auto industry over clean air rules, taking steps toward punishing two of the major opponents of the president’s efforts to roll back Obama-era regulations. The administration’s tactics include an expected effort to strip away California’s authority to set its own air pollution standards for cars and trucks, as well as a new Justice Department antitrust probe into four automakers that are voluntarily cooperating with the state’s clean air goals. The administration also warned California on Friday [9-6-19] that its attempt to circumvent the administration’s rollback of federal rules is illegal. All three actions represent a striking escalation of pressure from the administration, and come weeks afterPresident Donald Trump publicly rebuked the ‘politically correct Automobile Companies’ that are resisting his efforts to let them produce more gas-guzzling vehicles.”
–Zack Colman, “Trump deepens legal war against California, automakers,” Politico, September 6, 2019 4:00 pm