A small toy store in St. Paul, Minnesota is joining nine other small businesses challenging the legality of President Donald Trump’s power to impose tariffs, including 145% levies on goods from China where most toys are manufactured.
The owners, of "Mischief Toy Store" say they need to stand up for what they believe in, saying they believe the tariffs are illegal and claim it is Congress that should control them.
"These tariffs are not only going to have a huge detrimental impact on small businesses, large businesses, and consumers, they are also illegal," says owner Abigail Adelsheim-Marshall.
She says people are shopping for gifts for the holidays now - before prices spike due to the proposed tariffs.
"We've got people shopping for Christmas now so that they can save money ahead of future possible tariffs," Adelsheim-Marshall explains. "So most of the people in our local community that we interact with on a daily basis are really in favor of it."
They say a store that depends on toy sales are affected disproportionately by the 145% tariffs on goods coming from China.
"90% of toys sold in the U.S. are made in China," she tells WCCO. "We estimate that of what we sell, it's about 85%. So we're a little below average on that, but it's still a large majority that's made in China. Because that's where most major toy companies get the manufacturing done because that's where you can get good quality manufacturing."
Fellow plaintiffs in the suite include five board game manufactures, a children's clothing company, a metal treating company, and an importer of fine art. All ten plaintiffs are small businesses.
A statement from Mischief explains that they are getting free representation in the suit as well.
"We are being represented for free by a non-profit Libertarian law firm, which is a somewhat strange partnership for us. While we may disagree on other issues, we are all in full agreement on the need to check Trump's abuses of power. He is not a king and we cannot allow him to act like one."
They also note that they have - and still do - carry American produced toys but they are difficult to stock, adding they don't believe any tariffs will reverse that trend.