Madison, Wis. (Learfield) - The state Justice Department failed this morning to delay a court proceeding on a new preliminary injunction to block the law that curtails most public union bargaining. Dane County Circuit Judge Maryann Sumi rejected the attorney general’s request to halt the proceeding – and she allowed the presenting of evidence to continue. Sumi is trying to decide if the Legislature broke the state Open Meetings Law when it passed the union bill last month. Assistant A-G Maria Lazar said the issue should not be considered because the courts don’t have authority to interfere with bills before they’re published – lawmakers are immune from civil penalties – and lawmakers who are not at the proceeding are being denied their right to due process. But Sumi didn’t buy any of those objections. Yesterday, she ruled that an alternative method for adopting the union law was illegal. And the Walker administration stopped implementing it until the court action is complete.