Cross posted at Calitics

Earlier today, Blackwater ratcheted up the San Diego battle, suing the City of San Diego on federal charges. Blackwater claims that the revocation of its occupancy permit (so that the public has a chance to comment and review) violates not only state and federal rights, but Blackwater's Constitutional protections under the Commerce Clause. You can read the entire complaint in pdf form here, but I can assure you that the irony of a company who operates outside of all law- Constitutional and otherwise- trying to claim those same rights runs right through the whole thing.

The argument rests on a number of misrepresentations, including the assertion that Otay Mesa is a "remote" and maintaining that fulfilling a military training contract somehow corresponds to a closed-to-the-public "vocational school." But the crux of it all is that Blackwater thinks it's unconstitutional for there to be a public review of its permit. Which of course inaccurately attempts to convince us all that Blackwater is just another business. That's the Blackwater pitch through all of this, and (hopefully) it's never going to fly. Blackwater likes being a special case when it's insulated from murder prosecution, but not when it screws up their permits. Speaking with KPBS, City Attorney Mike Aguirre said "It's not really something that in my judgment is a appropriately before a federal court. [sic]"

Brian Bonfiglio for his part as Blackwater West's shill accused the city of trying to suck up to activists (when was the last time that happened ANYwhere?) in defense of the lawsuit. This is a whole new level, we'll see what comes next.