A federal judge on Thursday extended an order that would prevent the Trump administration from freezing into 22 states and the District of Columbia with funds approved by Congress. The judge found that the government was trampled on trying to stop Congress from using the money allocated by Congress.
It sets wider clashes between Democrats attorney generals about the Trump administration's efforts to review spending to match the president's agenda, based on a temporary order that directs the government to flow through money.
In an opinion that was taken over Thursday morning, Judge John J. McConnell Jr. of the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island, said the case stemmed from an administrative overreach case in which the top administrative authorities demanded that funds be withheld by Congress.
A White House Budget Office memo called for a suspension of billions of grants until the administration determined that it could comply with Trump's priorities and set a date for disruption and warnings.
Without an injunction, Judge McConnell wrote that “the funds the state is paid and owed create an indefinite range.”
“Here, the executives placed themselves on parliament,” he wrote. “We have placed a categorical mandate on spending on funds allocated and mandated to Congress, regardless of their authority to control spending.”
The state coalition has sued the suspension of available funds from several agencies, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency, but they said they would put them at risk.
The lawsuit filed a second motion last week to enforce the previous order, focusing on “significant obstacles to access federal funds,” even after Judge McConnell ordered the agency to allow the funding flow.
“In addition, the delays prompted by the FEMA manual review process are important and indefinite,” the state wrote, noting that some have been demanding spending since February 7th.
In order Thursday, Judge McConnell appeared to have agreed that the outlook for states that are not accessing disasters to emergency funds suspended by the Trump administration is prominent.
“It's obvious and sharp harm, and floods and fires will wreaking havoc throughout the country, affecting federal funds for emergency management and preparation,” he wrote.
The judge ordered detailed action of FEMA by March 14th.
