Joseph Scott Alter v. Mitch McConnell ( 2024 )

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 9 CENTRAL DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 10 11 JOSEPH SCOTT ALTER, Case No. 2:23-cv-05785-ODW-PD 12 Plaintiff, FINAL REPORT AND 13 v. RECOMMENDATION OF 14 MITCH MCCONNELL, UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE 15 Defendant. 16 17 This Final Report and Recommendation is submitted to the Honorable 18 Otis D. Wright, II, United States District Judge, pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 636 19 and General Order 05-07 of the United States District Court for the Central 20 District of California.1 21 22 23 1 This Final Report and Recommendation (“Final Report”) addresses an argument in the Second Amended Objections filed by Plaintiff to the section in the Initial Report 24 and Recommendation (“Initial Report”) regarding venue. [Dkt. Nos. 29, 32 at 1-2.] 25 Because Defendant is an officer or employee of the United States, the First Amended Complaint may be brought in this district since no real property is involved. See 28 26 U.S.C. § 1391(e)(1)(C). The Court therefore withdraws Section V. C of the Initial Report, which erroneously concluded that venue is not proper in this district. This 27 Final Report is identical to the Initial Report with one exception: The Final Report 28 omits the venue discussion. The Recommendation that the First Amended 1 I. Summary of Recommendation 2 Plaintiff Joseph Scott Alter (“Plaintiff”), a California resident 3 proceeding pro se, filed a document labeled “First Amended Complaint for 4 Declaratory Judgment” against Defendant Dirty Rotten Scoundrel, Senate 5 Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (“Defendant” or “Senator McConnell”), 6 seeking declaratory judgment and requesting this Court to declare that 7 Defendant more likely than not violated his oath of office. [Dkt. No. 11.] It is 8 recommended that the First Amended Complaint be dismissed without leave 9 to amend and that the action be dismissed with prejudice. 10 II. Pertinent Procedural History 11 On July 14, 2023, Plaintiff filed a complaint for declaratory judgment 12 and damages against Senator McConnell. [Dkt. No. 1.] Plaintiff’s allegations 13 concern Senator McConnell’s failure to convict and impeach former President 14 Donald Trump. [Id. at 2-6.] Plaintiff alleges that on January 13, 2016 [sic], 15 Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi signed the Second impeachment of Donald 16 Trump and forwarded it to the Senate. [Id. at 3.] Plaintiff alleges that “after 17 the hearing was completed in the Senate, (then) Majority Leader Mitch 18 McConnell made the case that President Trump was guilty, though 19 [McConnell] cited the fact that President Trump (who was President when he 20 was impeached in the House), was no longer the President of the United 21 States, and therefore could not be impeached, and fellow Republican members 22 of the Senate likewise failed to convict him based on that same belief.” [Id.] 23 Plaintiff alleges that “this action clearly violated their oaths of office and was 24 an act of brazen political brute force orchestrated in their own self-interest.” 25 [Id.] 26 Plaintiff asserted claims for “relief for abuse of power, violations of oath 27 of office and other allegations.” [Id. at 5.] He requested the Court to, among 28 other things, declare that this lawsuit is protected free speech under the First 1 Amendment and or 303 Creative v Elenis, [600 U.S. 570 (2023)], and is entitled 2 to Fifth Amendment due process without fear, reprisal, or penalty; that 3 Senate Republicans were wrong about their characterization of the law, that 4 they could have convicted, and still can convict Former President Donald 5 Trump in the Senate; that McConnell and other Republican Senators and 6 Members of the House who did not vote to convict were not acting in their 7 duties to the Senate, their Oaths of office, and can or possibly should, be held 8 to personal account, and/or impeached; and grant other relief such as a 9 “Billion Trillion Dollars.” [Id. at 5.] 10 On August 31, 2023, the Court issued an Order to Show Cause Why 11 Plaintiff’s Complaint Should Not be Dismissed. [Dkt. No. 8.] The Court 12 screened the Complaint and found that it appeared barred by sovereign 13 immunity and that Senator McConnell is immune from suit under the Speech 14 or Debate Clause of the United States Constitution. [Id.] 15 On September 30, 2023, Plaintiff filed a First Amended Complaint. [Dkt. No. 11.] The Court considers this pleading the operative pleading. 16 17 III. Allegations in the First Amended Complaint 18 In his First Amended Complaint, Plaintiff alleges: 19 On January 13, 2021, Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi signed the Second 20 impeachment of Donald Trump and forwarded it to the Senate. [Dkt. No. 11 21 at 1.] After the Senate hearing was completed, the former Majority Leader 22 Mitch McConnell, plainly articulated that President Trump was guilty as 23 charged, but said he would be held to account in other ways, in other forums 24 and did not vote to convict. [Id.] Plaintiff asserts that the actions of 25 Defendant and other fellow conspirators have caused our democracy real 26 harm and thrown the country into chaos and disunity by their failure to do 27 their sworn duty and convict a guilty man. [Id.] 28 1 Plaintiff alleges that venue is proper in this district because he is 2 domiciled within this judicial district. [Id.] Plaintiff does not seek damages. 3 [Id. at 2.] Plaintiff asserts claims for “relief for violations of oath of office.” 4 [Id. at 3.] He alleges that Senator McConnell plainly articulated President 5 Trump’s guilt but failed to vote to convict, which Plaintiff views as a violation 6 of Senator McConnell’s oath of office which states his duty to protect Congress 7 and the Constitution from all enemies foreign and domestic. [Id.] Plaintiff 8 requests the Court to declare that Senator McConnell more likely than not 9 violated his oath of office. [Id.] 10 IV. Standard of Review 11 When a complaint clearly does not state a claim upon which the court 12 can grant relief, a court may dismiss the case on its own (“sua sponte”), at the 13 outset, without leave to amend. See Reed v. Lieurance, 863 F.3d 1196, 1207- 14 08 (9th Cir. 2017) (a trial court may dismiss a claim sua sponte under Fed. R. 15 Civ. P. 12(b)(6)); see also Omar v. Sea–Land Serv., Inc., 813 F.2d 986, 991 (9th 16 Cir. 1987) (Fed. R. Civ. P.12(b)(6) permits a court to dismiss a claim sua 17 sponte and without notice “where the claimant cannot possibly win relief.” ); 18 Wong v. Bell, 642 F.2d 359, 361-62 (9th Cir. 1981) (same). 19 In determining whether a complaint should be dismissed at screening, 20 the Court applies the same standard as that in a motion to dismiss pursuant 21 to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6). Rosati v. Igbinoso, 791 F.3d 1037, 22 1039 (9th Cir. 2015). Under that standard, “a complaint must contain 23 sufficient factual matter, accepted as true” and viewed in the light most 24 favorable to the nonmoving party, “to state a claim to relief that is plausible 25 on its face.” Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 678 (2009) (quoting Bell Atl. 26 Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 570 (2007)). This does not require “detailed 27 factual allegations,” but it does require “more than an unadorned, the- 28 defendant-unlawfully-harmed-me accusation.” Id. The Court does not, 1 however, “accept as true allegations that are merely conclusory, unwarranted 2 deductions of fact, or unreasonable inferences.” Sprewell v. Golden State 3 Warriors, 266 F.3d 979, 988 (9th Cir. 2001) as amended on denial of reh’g, 275 4 F.3d 1187 (9th Cir. 2001). 5 V. Discussion 6 A. Senator McConnell is Immune from Suit Under the Speech 7 or Debate Clause of the United States Constitution 8 Individual Members of Congress are immune from suit under the 9 Speech or Debate Clause of the United States Constitution, for conduct that 10 falls within the sphere of legitimate legislative activity. U.S. Const., Art. I, § 11 6, cl. 1; also see, Doe v. McMillan, 412 U.S. 306, 311 (1973) (the Speech or 12 Debate Clause “protects Members [of Congress] against prosecutions that 13 directly impinge upon or threaten the legislative process”); McCarthy v. 14 Pelosi, 5 F.4th 34, 39 (D.C. Cir. 2021). The Speech or Debate Clause provides 15 that “for any Speech or Debate in either House, they [Members of Congress] 16 shall not be questioned in any other Place.” U.S. Const. Art. I, § 6, cl. 1. The 17 Clause aims to protect “the integrity of the legislative process by insuring the 18 independence of individual legislators.” Eastland v. United States Servicemen’s Fund, 421 U.S. 491, 501 (1975). The Supreme Court has made 19 clear in numerous cases that under the Clause, Members of Congress have 20 absolute immunity for all matters that fall within the “sphere of legitimate 21 legislative activity.” Gravel v. U.S., 408 U.S. 606, 625 (1972); Eastland, 421 22 U.S. at 501. Immunity for legislative acts reinforces the separation of powers 23 by protecting the independence of Congress and “prevent[ing] intimidation of 24 legislators by the Executive and accountability before a possibly hostile 25 judiciary.” Gravel, 408 U.S. at 617. 26 Plaintiff’s allegations concern Senator McConnell’s failure to convict 27 and impeach former President Donald Trump. [See Dkt. No. 11.] He alleges 28 1 that McConnell plainly articulated President Trump’s guilt but failed to vote 2 to convict, which Plaintiff views as a violation of McConnell’s oath of office 3 which states his duty to protect Congress and the Constitution from all 4 enemies foreign and domestic. [Id. at 3.] Because Senator McConnell was 5 “acting within the ‘legitimate legislative sphere[,]’ the Speech or Debate 6 Clause is an absolute bar to interference” and Senator McConnell is immune 7 from suit. See Eastland, 421 U.S. at 503. Accordingly, Plaintiff’s claims 8 against Senator McConnell are barred under the Speech and Debate Clause of 9 the U.S. Constitution. 10 B. Plaintiff’s Claims Are Barred by the Doctrine of Sovereign 11 Immunity 12 To the extent that Plaintiff sues Senator McConnell in his official 13 capacity, his claims are barred by the doctrine of sovereign immunity. It is 14 well settled that the United States, as sovereign, is immune from suit unless 15 it waives immunity and consents to be sued. U.S. v. Sherwood, 312 U.S. 584, 16 586 (1941); see FDIC v. Meyer, 510 U.S. 471, 475 (1994). A waiver of the 17 federal government’s sovereign immunity “cannot be implied but must be unequivocally expressed.” U.S. v. Mitchell, 445 U.S. 535, 538 (1980). Any 18 such waiver will be “strictly construed, in terms of its scope, in favor of the 19 sovereign.” Lane v. Pena, 518 U.S. 187, 192 (1996). 20 In general, agencies and officers of the United States of America cannot 21 be sued unless Congress has waived the sovereign immunity of the United 22 States. Munns v. Kerry, 782 F.3d 402, 412 (9th Cir. 2015). “[A]ny waiver 23 must be unequivocally expressed in statutory text ... and will not be implied.” 24 Id. (citation omitted; alteration and ellipsis in original). The plaintiff bears 25 the burden of establishing the existence of such a waiver, absent which 26 “courts have no subject matter jurisdiction over cases against the [federal] 27 government.” Id. (alteration in original). The bar of sovereign immunity 28 1 “applies alike to causes of action arising under acts of Congress and to those 2 arising from some violation of rights conferred upon the citizen by the 3 Constitution.” Lynch v. United States, 292 U.S. 571, 582 (1934) (citations 4 omitted). 5 The Declaratory Judgment Act, 28 U.S.C. § 2201, does not provide a 6 waiver of sovereign immunity. See e.g., Pine Bar Ranch LLC v. Acting 7 Regional Director, Bureau of Indian Affairs, 2011 WL 2268480, at *2 (D. 8 Mont. June 7, 2011); Grondal v. U.S., 682 F.Supp.2d 1203, 1218 (E.D. Wash. 9 2010). Likewise, the Mandamus Act, 28 U.S.C. § 1361, does not waive 10 sovereign immunity. See Hou Hawaiians v. Cayetano, 183 F.3d 945, 947 (9th 11 Cir. 1999); Smith v. Grimm, 534 F.2d 1346, 1353 n. 9 (9th Cir. 1976). 12 Accordingly, absent a waiver of sovereign immunity, Plaintiff’s claims 13 against Senator McConnell are barred and subject to dismissal. 14 C. The First Amended Complaint Should Be Dismissed Without Leave to Amend 15 16 Plaintiff was granted an opportunity to amend his complaint. The 17 allegations in his First Amended Complaint, however, fail to state a claim against Senator McConnell. Dismissal of a pro se complaint without leave to 18 amend is proper if it is “‘absolutely clear that the deficiencies of the complaint 19 could not be cured by amendment.” Noll v. Carlson, 809 F.2d 1445, 1448 (9th 20 Cir. 1987); see also, Gonzalez v. Planned Parenthood of L.A., 759 F.3d 1112, 21 1116 (9th Cir. 2014) (a “district court’s discretion in denying amendment is 22 particularly broad when it has previously given leave to amend” (internal 23 quotation marks omitted)). Here, Plaintiff’s claims arise out of acts for which 24 Senator McConnell enjoys immunity, and this Court cannot grant Plaintiff 25 the relief that he seeks. Any amendment is therefore futile and leave to 26 amend is unwarranted. 27 28 1 | VI. Recommendation For these reasons, it is recommended that the District Judge issue an ; Order: (1) accepting this Final Report and Recommendation; and (2) directing that judgment be entered dismissing the First Amended Complaint with prejudice. , DATED: February 27, 2024 44 ty Lena 8 PATRICIA DONAHUE 9 UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 ° 1 NOTICE 2 Reports and Recommendations are not appealable to the Court of 3 Appeals but are subject to the right of any party to file Objections as provided 4 in the Local Rules Governing Duties of Magistrate Judges, and review by the 5 District Judge whose initials appear in the Dkt. number. No Notice of Appeal 6 pursuant to the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure should be filed until 7 entry of the Judgment of the District Court. 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28