A federal judge issued a harsh rebuke last week to Santa Monica’s legal efforts to wrest control of the city’s airport from the federal government.
In a word: dismissed. As in, go home, your legal arguments carry no weight here.
U.S. Federal Court Judge John Walter’s ruling would seem like a tough blow to absorb for community groups seeking to close the facility.
Instead, those groups are acting as if the legal setback never happened. Ruling? What ruling?
The Airport2Park organization, dedicated to transforming the airport into a cultural and lush oasis, immediately issued an optimistically worded press release proclaiming that the group was “undaunted” by the judge’s decision.
“This isn’t going to stop Santa Monica getting its park,” said Frank Gruber, an Airport2Park member. “We are confident that when the dust has settled, it will be the wonderful green space residents are hoping for.”
And it’s business as usual for Concerned Residents Against Airport Pollution, an organization that has been fighting to close the airport for the past 10 years.
“We are going to continue doing what we have been doing all along,” said the group’s co-founder, Martin Rubin.
Part of this bravado is savvy political posturing, of course. But this cheerful spin is rooted in the belief that the ruling is more of a short-term setback. Both Gruber and Rubin said that they remain convinced that Santa Monica has strong legal standing for closing the airport should the city pursue further court action.
And more legal documents are likely to fly, according to Santa Monica City Attorney Marsha Moutrie, who hinted as much last Thursday just after the ruling was issued.
“Of course, we are disappointed. But there is likely much more work to come,” Moutrie said.
Just what that legal strategy might be will be discussed at the next city council meeting on February 25, Moutrie said.
