Rhode Island’s chief federal judge on Monday ruled the White House “has been violating his order to resume funding federal grants” after the Trump administration last month issued a “blanket spending freeze” that impacted federal grands and loans, Politico reports.
U.S. District Chief Judge John McConnell last month issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) halting the Trump administration’s implementation of a federal funding freeze — telling officials they must “not pause, freeze, impede, block, cancel, or terminate” federal funding for the states as the matter plays out in court.
Friday, attorneys general in 22 states and the District of Columbia — who are suing the Trump administration over the freeze — filed a motion claiming the Trump administration is continuing to “[deny] access to federal funds.”
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“The administration’s refusal to unfreeze these funds is a clear violation of the court order, which is why we’re back in court today,” California Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a virtual press conference Friday.
Monday, McConnell agreed with the states’ motion, ordering “the administration to ‘immediately restore frozen funding’ while his order remains in effect.”
“The broad categorical and sweeping freeze of federal funds is, as the Court found, likely unconstitutional and has caused and continues to cause irreparable harm to a vast portion of this country,” McConnell wrote.
As Politico reports, “McConnell hinted at the possibility of contempt for officials who he deems as continuing to defy his order, citing a 1975 court ruling that noted 'Persons who make private determinations of the law and refuse to obey an order generally risk criminal contempt even if the order is ultimately ruled incorrect.'"
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