OLYMPIA – Treasurer Mike Pellicciotti today joined Governor Bob Ferguson and a coalition of Washington leaders in opposing the unlawful use of federal tariffs by submitting an amicus curiae brief to the U.S. Supreme Court in the case of Trump v. V.O.S. Selections, Inc.
In August, the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit agreed with the U.S. Court of International Trade that President Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs were illegal and unconstitutional. Treasurer Pellicciotti and Governor Ferguson had previously filed an amicus brief before the Court of International Trade on behalf of Washington State.
The case questions whether the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) authorizes the tariffs imposed by Trump and whether the authorizing statute unconstitutionally delegates legislative power to the President.
The new legal brief — led by Governor Ferguson, Treasurer Pellicciotti, state legislators, labor unions, chambers of commerce, and local elected officials — urges the Supreme Court to uphold the lower court’s ruling.
“Last year, when candidate Trump floated his reckless tariff plan, many dismissed it as bluster,” said Pellicciotti. “As Treasurer, I took this economic threat seriously and have worked to stop this dangerous trade war before it wrecks Washington’s economy, drives up living costs on Americans, and eliminates good Washington jobs.”
“The Constitution expressly gives Congress — not a president — the power to impose tariff taxes, ensuring accountability at the ballot box,” noted Pellicciotti. “Our founders never intended for a president to unilaterally tax Americans and destabilize the economy by imposing tariffs at-will based on how much he personally favors a foreign leader or business CEO on a given day.”
According to Washington’s Office of Financial Management, fully implemented tariffs could weaken the economy and cost Washingtonians up to $2.2 billion in general fund revenue by 2029. Washington’s strong credit ratings could be undermined by the economic volatility caused by unpredictable trade policies, posing significant risks for one of the nation’s most trade dependent states.
As the ninth largest state exporter of goods in the U.S., Washington faces disproportionate exposure and reduced revenue projections. Already, the economic and budgetary harms due to these tariffs have triggered a negative impact to Washington’s credit outlook.
“If fully implemented, these tariffs will continue to drive inflation higher, increase living costs, and lead to job losses — at a time folks are already burdened and being squeezed by other cost-of-living pressures,” said Pellicciotti. “I appreciate the Governor’s leadership and others joining in this coalition to communicate to our nation’s highest court how these reckless tariffs are threatening our state economy and budget.”
Oral arguments in Trump v. V.O.S. Selections, Inc. are set to begin on November 5, 2025.