AG Bonta on Friday joined a coaliation of 20 AGs in filing an amicus brief in United States v. QueerDoc in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. The brief opposes the U.S. Department of Justice (U.S. DOJ)’s subpoena requesting information on telemedicine platform QueerDoc’s provision of gender-affirming care. In the brief, Attorney General Bonta and the coalition argue that the subpoena violates states’ rights to regulate the practice of medicine, relies on unfounded interpretations of U.S. DOJ’s legal authority, and, as multiple courts have ruled, is part of an effort to intimidate providers into ending gender-affirming care programs. 

“The Trump Administration continues to abuse its power in its bad faith crusade to subpoena gender-affirming care records. The U.S. Department of Justice is continually and knowingly misinterpreting the law, as its justifications for its many subpoenas have been struck down by multiple district courts. U.S. DOJ has now turned to the U.S. Court of Appeals in hopes of legitimizing its hateful campaign against transgender individuals. We won’t let that happen. We will continue to stand up for Americans’ rights to privacy and protect transgender individuals’ access to crucial care from providers they trust.” – AG Bonta