Appeals Court Rejects DOJ’s Bid to Delay Order Reinstating Federal Spending

February 11, 2025 TruthUSA

The DOJ is contesting a ruling from a federal judge in Rhode Island that mandates the executive branch to restore government spending that had been frozen.

On Tuesday, the Boston-based 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected an appeal made by the Trump administration seeking to pause an order issued by a Rhode Island federal judge, which determined that the administration cannot suspend funding for numerous federal programs currently under review.

A three-judge appellate panel called upon U.S. District Judge John McConnell to swiftly address the issues raised by the administration. Additionally, the 1st Circuit requested that the administration submit further documentation by February 13 to substantiate its argument that Judge McConnell exceeded his jurisdiction.

In a Monday appeal from the Justice Department, the administration claimed that the ruling impedes the president’s lawful powers.

The White House has expressed its intent to pursue legal clarification regarding the president’s authority over government spending decisions, potentially escalating the matter to the Supreme Court.

“These unlawful injunctions represent a continuation of the weaponization of justice against President Trump,” stated White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt.

Judge McConnell, who had issued a temporary restraining order on January 31 to halt the funding freeze, remarked on February 10 that the Trump administration failed to comply with his ruling to cease the freeze and release the withheld funds.

Judge McConnell had originally made his ruling in response to a lawsuit filed by Democratic attorneys general from 22 states and the District of Columbia, following a memo from the White House’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) that ordered a freeze on billions in federal loans and grants.

Although the OMB rescinded the memo on January 29, the judge ruled that the temporary restraining order was necessary due to evidence that some funding remained frozen.

This ruling marks the first setback for Trump at the appellate court level during his second term. The appellate panel consists of U.S. Circuit Judges David Barron, Lara Montecalvo, and Julie Rikelman.

Vice President J.D. Vance also commented on the temporary injunction, stating, “Judges aren’t permitted to control the executive’s legitimate powers,” which he expressed in a post on X on Sunday.

Yale Law Professor Jeb Rubenfeld concurred with Vance’s viewpoint.

“In areas where the Executive holds exclusive and plenary power under the Constitution—such as military commands or prosecutorial discretion—judicial interference is unconstitutional,” Rubenfeld articulated on X.

Jeffrey Tucker, president of the Brownstone Institute and an Epoch Times contributor, also weighed in on the judiciary’s reaction to actions taken by the Trump administration, predicting that many cases are likely to ascend through the judicial hierarchy.

“The Supreme Court will soon have to determine whether an actual president elected by the populace can exist, or if the entire voting process is merely a façade masking a perpetual government,” Tucker stated in a post on X, which was also shared by Elon Musk, who oversees the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), tasked with reviewing federal programs for inefficiencies and fraud.

Musk has shared his thoughts on social media regarding the judges’ interventions in Trump administration directives.

“The idea of judges having lifetime appointments regardless of the quality of their judgments is absurd!” proclaimed the world’s wealthiest individual on social media. “Enough is enough.”

The American Bar Association condemned remarks from high-level officials within the Trump administration that challenged judicial rulings.

“These statements undermine the legitimacy of judicial oversight solely because a court’s decision does not align with the administration’s preferences in a specific case,” it remarked in a statement. “It is a fundamental pillar of our democracy that courts protect citizens from governmental overreach.”

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

Source link

You May Also Like

Amanda Knox: An Introduction and Explanation of Her Return to Court | Global Headlines

Argentina’s President Prohibits Gender Care for Minors

Record breaking price achieved for watch gifted to captain who saved 700 Titanic passengers in UK news

Leave a Reply Cancel reply