The US Constitution does not grant the President unilateral authority to block funding

[bigtree]

...approved by Congress and signed into law.

Sam Stein @samstein
OMB memo sent to me appears to suggest a pause on basically all federal assistance starting tomorrow at 5. Is there another way to read this?




Lisa Rubin @lawofruby 1h
Watching for "imminent legal action" from NY AG James and potentially others challenging the freeze on most federal grants and aid, which is scheduled to start tonight at 5 p.m. ET.

NY AG James @NewYorkStateAG
My office will be taking imminent legal action against this administration's unconstitutional pause on federal funding.

We won't sit idly by while this administration harms our families.
https://www.rawstory.com/trump-budget-freeze/
https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/federal-grant-freeze-trump-meaning-food-stamps-student-loans/6124644/

(((Orchid)))🌻@OrchidNYC 14m
States Plan to Sue to Block Trump’s Freeze on Federal Grants

A coalition of states, including New York, California, Illinois, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Massachusetts, are expected to file the challenge later on Tuesday in the Southern District of New York.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/28/us/politics/states-lawsuit-trump-federal-grants-pause.html

Chuck Schumer @SenSchumer 56m
The blast radius of Trump’s terrible, unconstitutional, and illegal decision to halt virtually all federal grants and loans is virtually limitless.

And its impacts will be felt over and over and over again by families and communities across the country.

Link to tweet

Lawlessness and Chaos: Trump Takes 'Illegal' Action to Halt Federal Aid
The shock and awe portion of the new administration continues with reporting that Trump’s budget office "illegally" ordered a total freeze on all federal grants and loans.
https://www.thedailypoliticususa.com/p/lawlessness-and-chaos-trump-takes

[mwmisses4289]

1. Shock?

Maybe. Awe? Definelty not. The only ones in "shock" are those who refused to pay attention.

Good on those who are fighting back, however they choose to do it.

[bigtree]

2. I think the reference has more to do with the total barrage of lawlessness

...throwing every abuse of the law and democracy into the political square at once.

[leftstreet]

3. If only we had three equal branches of government

A legislative and a judicial branch would be nice right about now

Guess we'll have to pray to that God on the Throne

[bigtree]

7. we can see now how this has always been a political challenge

...dependent on our votes in elections.

Here we are now, expecting the minority of legislators we elected to withstand the tyranny of a majority of republicans in government and in the courts.

Who were those folks self-identifying as Democrats who were encouraging people to reject the party in this last election?

A House and Senate majority would be nice about now.

[LSparkle]

4. Deja vu ... Same thing as with Ukraine aid in last term

“But I need you to do a favor first ... “

Pay for play. The funds have been allocated but recipients still have to beg. Disgusting.

[NJCher]

5. he keeps reinforcing the concept

that he's a fool that has no clue for procedure, thus all he is doing is making a big "to do" about nothing.

It was the Inspectors General attempt to fire and they said "we're not going anywhere--you need 30 days notice plus a substantive reason." Well, we know he can't fulfill that requirement, although repub led legislative bodies might go for it. Doubtful they can get enough votes for something this crazy, though.

Someone(s) will be filing a suit anytime now.

[bigtree]

9. throwing catsup on the wall

...to see if any of it sticks.

[Irish_Dem]

6. The US Constitution is a relic of a bygone era.

Neither congress nor the courts are interested in that document.

[bigtree]

8. lower courts defend them

...ultimately though, we'll have to wait to see what the maga majority, with their lifetime appointments, will decide to preserve of our democracy and our laws enacted by Congress and signed by the president.

[Irish_Dem]

10. Lower courts don't have much power.

The further the judges are from We the People, the more they could not care less about
Americans or the USA.

It is looking like neither the US Congress nor the Judiciary give a good gd about this country.

[mr715]

13. But they are sllllooooowww

And that can at least gunk up the works a little bit.

[Irish_Dem]

14. Will Trump even pay attention to any of the courts?

The courts seem powerless to make Trump do anything.
And the SC gave him immunity for life it looks like.

[mr715]

15. Agree, sad but true nt

[bigtree]

16. right

...that would allow time for our political efforts in the midterms to take root.

This has always been a political effort to restrain Trump, with so many of the higher court judges unashamedly put there by Trump and the GOP to basically block Democratic initiatives and enable republicans.

[yaesu]

11. Remember, SCOTUS believes tRump is a special boy and granted him immunity to break any law he wants

breaking laws is an official act. It didn't stop tRumps hero Andrew Jackass Jackson so the little thing called the constitution isn't going to stop the tyrant.

[NJCher]

12. well, we'll see about that

It amazes me how many posters here are doomsday, giving away every shred of power they might have. Just give it up seems to be the mantra. Don't even question it.

[bigtree]

19. it won't stop him because we didn't elect enough Democrats to do things like impeach

...the president or Supreme Court justices who break the law or violate their oaths of office.

[durablend]

17. "The US Constitution" -- how quaint

[bigtree]

18. it's what the Supreme Court says it is, apparently

...witnessing their invention of presidential immunities designed to protect, ostensibly declared in their ruling, only ONE man from accountability from crimes committed in office.

The Constitution is what state and national legislatures decide to defend. That ultimately makes this a political challenge for us to elect people who will shape our courts in ways that uphold democracy and the laws they enact.

[ScratchCat]

20. Then the "order" is null and void

Just like the one firing the IG's and the one removing BR citizenship. They have no force of law and they can't be followed.

Now, all that is needed is for both Houses of Congress and John Roberts to simply release statements(like they should have on the Tik Tok nonsense) stating that Trump's orders are null and void and he has no power to overrule the other two branches of government. I mean, this has gotten well beyond ridiculous, the adults pretending to not be adults. I applaud council for the IG's standing up and stating the order was not legally sufficient to fire anyone and that no IG has been terminated, but the rest need to start now.