Wilbur Ross spoke with Steve Bannon, President Donald Trump's former chief strategist, before including on the 2020 census a question about people's citizenship, the Justice Department said in a court document that appears to contradict what the commerce secretary told Congress.
The disclosure came in a lawsuit by more than a dozen states, cities and advocacy groups seeking to block the U.S. from asking the question, claiming it's discriminatory and designed to reduce the accuracy of the count by cutting participation. The Justice Department's filing, which was posted online Thursday by the New York Attorney General's office, was in response to questions from the plaintiffs.
Ross has denied speaking to Bannon, a vocal opponent of immigration, telling a congressional committee in March that he was "not aware" of any discussions with the president or anyone else in the White House about the citizenship question.