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#defenddemocracy

2 posts2 participants0 posts today

BREAKING: A federal judge slams Donald Trump with a major defeat by ruling that his administration broke federal law by removing a public website that showed how federal funding is divided amongst different agencies — and orders that it be reinstated.

The courts are our last line of defense once again...

"There is nothing unconstitutional about Congress requiring the Executive Branch to inform the public of how it is apportioning the public’s money. Defendants are therefore required to stop violating the law!" U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan wrote in his ruling.

Sullivan stated that the online database, which was overseen by the MAGA-controlled office of Management and Budget, could not just be unilaterally terminated because Congressional legislation demands that the OMB make all apportionment decisions publicly available within two business days.

According to Congress, the OMB must "operate and maintain” the system for “fiscal year 2023 and each fiscal year thereafter." The Trump administration killed the website earlier this year as part of the broader MAGA agenda to gut the federal government and eliminate its crucial services, absurdly citing national security concerns.

“When Defendants removed the Public Apportionments Database, they deprived CREW and Protect Democracy of information to which they are statutorily entitled, and which they relied on to monitor government funding, respond to possible legal violations, and provide transparency to the public,” wrote Sullivan.

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) and Protect Democracy helped bring the lawsuit against the administration.

"Today’s decision makes clear that the executive branch cannot simply ignore appropriations laws they disagree with on policy grounds, no matter what President Trump or OMB Director Russell Vought thinks,” stated Cerin Lindgrensavage, counsel at Protect Democracy.

"Congress passed a law making sure the American public could see how their taxpayer dollars are being spent, and we will continue to hold the administration accountable for making good on that promise," she added.

Judge Sullivan has given the Justice Department until Thursday morning to formulate a response in case they want to appeal the ruling.

#BlueCrew #BlueCircleFamily🌈🦋
#BluePetPatrol💙🐾 #ProudBlue #Thisiswhywefight #Resist #TruthWarriors #StrongerTogether #NoKings #DemocracyMatters #DefendDemocracy #StayWoke #NoMoreAuthoritarians #ProtectOurRights #KeepGovernmentHonest #AccountabilityMatters #TransparencyMatters

BREAKING: Twenty states slam Donald Trump with a massive lawsuit over his disastrous decision to shut down a crucial multi-billion program designed to strengthen infrastructure before natural disasters hit.

And it gets even better...

"Communities across the country are being forced to delay, scale back, or cancel hundreds of mitigation projects depending on this funding,” the lawsuit, filed in federal court, reads.

"Projects that have been in development for years, and in which communities have invested millions of dollars for planning, permitting, and environmental review are now threatened. And in the meantime, Americans across the country face a higher risk of harm from natural disasters," it adds.

The suit argues that the MAGA-controlled Federal Emergency Management Agency illegally terminated its Building Resilient Infrastructures and Communities (BRIC) program without necessary Congressional approval.

The suit points out that not only did Congress not authorize the cuts to FEMA’s mitigation “functions and capabilities," they "specifically barred it."

"Therefore, the BRIC termination violates these statutes and the Separation of Powers," the suit reads.

Not only that, but the suit points out that Cameron Hamilton, the acting director of FEMA when the program was slashed, as well as his successor David Richardson, were not properly appointed and thus lacked the authority to implement such spending reductions.

These cuts are emblematic of Trump's entire approach to governing. There is no defensible reason to slash this kind of funding. Doing so only puts American lives in danger, weakening the country so that Republicans can funnel even more wealth to the rich through unnecessary tax cuts.

The states described the funding shutdown as "devastating." The BRIC program was launched in 2018 as a way to focus on mitigating damage from disasters instead of simply reacting after they occur. It has been an unalloyed success and has helped avoid over $150 billion in costs alongside other federal mitigation grants.

"Not only are States unable to move forward with many of their planned projects, they also risk wasting the substantial time, effort, and money they have already invested in these projects, and undermining the trust they have built with local communities and industry partners, which will make it harder to undertake projects like this in the future,” the suit adds.

When he shuttered the program in April, Trump's administration smeared it as "wasteful" and "politicized." By Republican logic, any measure that helps average Americans is "wasteful." Taken in light of the recent deadly flash floods in Texas, these efforts by Trump take on an even more sinister light.

The states involved in the lawsuit are Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin.
#BlueCrew #BlueCircleFamily🌈🦋 #BluePetPatrol💙🐾 #ProudBlue #Thisiswhywefight #Resist #TruthWarriors #StrongerTogether #NoKings #DemocracyMatters #DefendDemocracy #StayWoke #NoMoreAuthoritarians #ProtectOurRights

Michael Fanone is a former law enforcement officer, author, and analyst best known for his service in the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia from 2001 to 2021. He began his policing career with the United States Capitol Police, then moved to the Metropolitan Police, where he spent most of his career as a plain-clothes and undercover officer investigating narcotics trafficking and violent crimes, participating in over 2,000 arrests. Fanone also served as a special task force officer for the FBI, ATF, and DEA, and received more than three dozen commendations during his career.

Michael Fanone became nationally recognized following his involvement in the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Responding to an emergency call, he was dragged into the mob, beaten, and repeatedly attacked, suffering a heart attack and traumatic brain injury. He later testified before the House Select Committee investigating the January 6th attack, recounting his experiences and emphasizing threats to democracy. After retiring, Fanone worked as an analyst for CNN, a security consultant, and firearms instructor.

He has remained a vocal advocate on issues of law enforcement and democracy and has spoken publicly about the aftermath of the Capitol attack, including the threats he and his family have faced. Fanone was recognized for his actions and awarded the Presidential Citizens Medal by President Joe Biden.
#BlueCrew #BlueCircleFamily🌈🦋
#BluePetPatrol💙🐾 #ProudBlue #Thisiswhywefight #Resist #TruthWarriors #StrongerTogether #NoKings #DemocracyMatters #DefendDemocracy #StayWoke #NoMoreAuthoritarians #ProtectOurRights

California Friends:

Please call your state legislators and ask them to support Senate Joint Resolution 1 (SJR-1, Weiner).

The legislation would rescind all seven prior calls for a Constitutional Convention.

While it may have seemed a good idea on certain issues in the past, we can't take chances in this political climate. It would open a can of worms.
🥫 🐛 🐛 🐛

calmatters.digitaldemocracy.or

Find you legislator here:
findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov

#California
#DefendDemocracy
#ProtecttheConstitution

calmatters.digitaldemocracy.orgSJR 1: Rescinding previous applications for a federal constitutional convention. | Digital DemocracyDigital Democracy overview of bill SJR 1: Rescinding previous applications for a federal constitutional convention.