OLYMPIA — Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced today that the previously scheduled federal court hearing on the constitutionality of President Donald Trump’s ban on transgender individuals serving in the military will go forward on Tuesday.

In December 2017, Judge Marsha Pechman of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington blocked the ban by granting an injunction because it would irreparably harm transgender individuals. Washington’s case, with co-plaintiffs represented by Lambda Legal, will be the first time any court has heard arguments on the merits of a case against the transgender military ban.

The Trump Administration claims the new Presidential Memorandum, Department of Defense report, and updated implementation plan by Secretary Mattis issued on Friday evening constitutes a new ban, separate from the one Judge Pechman and three other courts previously blocked. The Administration asked the court to cancel Tuesday’s hearing. The court declined.

“Banning transgender individuals from military service is discriminatory and wrong,” Ferguson said. “President Trump’s last-minute maneuvering does nothing to save his unlawful and discriminatory policy. Regardless of any efforts to confuse the issues and avoid judgment, the President’s transgender military ban is illegal.”

The motion for summary judgment will be heard by Judge Pechman in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington on Tuesday at 10 a.m. The court will need to decide whether this weekend’s developments affect the Court’s ability to rule on the merits of the ban. Read more via Washington State