In a significant development, a federal judge has issued a comprehensive order halting President Donald Trump’s attempt to freeze a broad range of federal grant and aid spending, ruling that the policy is likely unconstitutional....Read Full Article >>➤
U.S. District Judge John McConnell’s 13-page order, released Friday afternoon, explicitly states that the Trump administration is prohibited from “pausing, freezing, impeding, blocking, canceling, or terminating” obligations to provide federal financial assistance to the states involved in the lawsuit.
This ruling follows a similar decision by another federal judge earlier this week, who temporarily blocked an Office of Management and Budget (OMB) memo that sought to implement the funding freeze.
The OMB memo aimed to pause federal aid and grant spending to review compliance with a series of executive orders issued by Trump. Just two days after its release, the OMB withdrew the memo under mounting pressure.
Judge McConnell’s order goes further than the previous ruling, preventing any systematic defunding efforts while litigation continues. He pointed to statements made by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, which suggested that the administration intended to maintain the freeze despite the OMB’s withdrawal.
McConnell described the rescission of the OMB directive as potentially a mere formality to evade judicial scrutiny, stating, “The evidence shows that the alleged rescission of the OMB Directive was in name-only.”
The states involved in the case argue that the funding freeze infringes upon the separation of powers, as the Constitution grants Congress control over federal spending. McConnell concurred, stating that the states are likely to prevail on this claim.
The White House has contended that the courts lack the authority to interfere with Trump’s management of federal funds, asserting that pauses in funding are typically accepted by the judiciary. However, Judge McConnell noted the conflicting messages from the White House and the potential severe consequences if the freeze were allowed to continue. He emphasized that the abrupt halt in funding could disrupt vital services and relief efforts for citizens.
Furthermore, McConnell referenced the Impoundment Control Act, a federal law that prohibits the president from canceling spending approved by Congress without notifying lawmakers. He pointed out that there is no evidence that Trump has adhered to this requirement. ...Read Full Article >>➤
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