California rejoins fight over Nazi-looted painting held by Spanish museum

""California is once again fighting in federal court for a Jewish family's right to have a precious Impressionist painting returned to them by a Spanish museum nearly 90 years after it was looted by the Nazis. The state is also defending its own authority to legally require art and other stolen treasures to be returned to other victims with ties to the state, even in disputes that stretch far beyond its borders.""

""There is nothing that can undo the horrors and loss experienced by individuals during the Holocaust. But there is something we can do - that California has done - to return what was stolen back to survivors and their families and bring them some measure of justice and healing," Bonta said. "As Attorney General, my job is to defend the laws of California, and I intend to do so here.""

California has intervened in federal court to seek return of a Camille Pissarro Impressionist painting to the Cassirer family nearly 90 years after Nazi looting. The state is defending its authority to require return of art and other stolen property to victims with ties to California, even where disputes reach beyond state borders. The Cassirer family filed suit in 2005 while living in San Diego. California enacted a law last year to strengthen recovery rights for families harmed by genocide or political persecution. Attorney General Rob Bonta filed to intervene to defend the law against the Thyssen‑Bornemisza Foundation’s challenge that it is unconstitutional.

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