{"id":108261,"date":"2025-02-12T16:02:38","date_gmt":"2025-02-13T00:02:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/2025\/02\/12\/fema-steals-80m-from-nyc-dares-courts-to-do-something-about-it\/"},"modified":"2025-02-12T16:02:38","modified_gmt":"2025-02-13T00:02:38","slug":"fema-steals-80m-from-nyc-dares-courts-to-do-something-about-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/2025\/02\/12\/fema-steals-80m-from-nyc-dares-courts-to-do-something-about-it\/","title":{"rendered":"FEMA Steals $80M From NYC, Dares Courts To Do Something About It"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Trump administration had a bad night in Boston followed by a lousy morning in Providence, as two courts gave major side eye to the DOJ\u2019s latest legal stylings. <\/p>\n

Many people are saying these pleadings are garbage! They come with tears in their eyes and say, Sir, we\u2019ve never seen the Justice Department demand an immediate interlocutory appeal and administrative stay of a TRO that\u2019s been in place less than two weeks.<\/em><\/p>\n

The latest benchslaps arose in the blue states\u2019 case to block the freeze on dispensing federal funds to people President Trump and Grand Vizier Musk don\u2019t like. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe Executive Branch has a duty to align federal spending and action with the will of the people as expressed through congressional appropriations, not through \u2018Presidential priorities,\u2019\u201d Rhode Island federal Judge John McConnell scolded in the January 31\u00a0TRO<\/a>, reminding the feds that actually<\/em> Congress has the power of the purse.<\/p>\n

And he reiterated that \u201cthe plain language of the TRO entered in this case prohibits all categorical pauses or freezes in obligations or disbursements\u201d when he granted<\/a> the plaintiffs\u2019 emergency motion<\/a>\u00a0to enforce after the government was caught blatantly defying <\/a>the first order. Judge McConnell pointedly noted that parties who defy a court order are risking criminal contempt, even if the order is later reversed.<\/p>\n

This appears to have gotten the attention of the DOJ lawyers, who first noticed an appeal<\/a> of the TRO to the First Circuit, and then threw themselves histrionically onto the courthouse steps in Boston, howling<\/a> about a \u201cbroad incursion on the orderly operation of government and the President\u2019s Article II authority to control the Executive Branch.\u201d <\/p>\n

The appellate panel expressed<\/a> extreme puzzlement as to whether they would even have jurisdiction to impose an administrative stay, but then, assuming that they did, denied it.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe note in this regard the plaintiffs\u2019 statement in their Opposition to Defendants\u2019 Motion for Administrative Stay Pending Appeal that, consistent with the TRO, the February 10 Order \u201cdoes not stop defendants from limiting access to funds without any \u2018preclearance\u2019 from the district court \u2018on the basis of the applicable authorizing statutes, regulations, and terms,’\u201d they wrote.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile back in Providence, the government was in a bit of a sticky wicket. Because Elon Musk and his army of DOGE bros claimed to have discovered FEMA paying to put illegal immigrants up in luxury hotels. That was bullshit<\/a> \u2014 if you can even believe it! \u2014 but the brother in douche over at FEMA immediately promised to put an end to it and fire the responsible parties.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n

@USCongress<\/a> should have never passed bills in 2023 and 2024 asking FEMA to do this work. This stops now.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Cameron Hamilton (@FEMA_Cam) February 10, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

Darn you Congress with your filthy BILLS!<\/p>\n

This forced the DOJ to tiptoe<\/a> back to Judge McConnell and \u201crequest that the Court provide \u2018targeted relief\u2019 from its Orders, confirming that FEMA may continue \u2018withholding funds due to specific authority.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

This was accompanied by a declaration<\/a> from FEMA bro Hamilton which strangely made no mention of Musk\u2019s false claims. Instead it referred to \u201cmedia reports, the vicious Venezuelan gang Tren De Aragua has taken over the hotel [being used to house migrants] and is using it as a recruiting center and base of operations to plan a variety of crimes.\u201d<\/p>\n

That claim is sourced to a New York Post article<\/a> based on Spanish language TikToks and a report<\/a> from a local ABC affiliate which quotes one NYPD detective claiming that there are a handful of teen and tween pickpockets who live at Roosevelt Hotel in midtown Manhattan where migrants seeking asylum are being housed under FEMA\u2019s Shelter and Service Programs. <\/p>\n

\u201cAccording to these same reports, these crimes include gun and drug sales as well as sex trafficking, which can reasonably be presumed to be conducted in the hotel itself,\u201d Cameron assures the court, citing as evidence articles from the National Review and Fox News.<\/p>\n

Cameron purported to have \u201cpaused funding quickly in this matter to protect that funding from the potential for its misuse for the illegal activity described above.\u201d But in fact it turns out that he\u2019d done one better than that. <\/p>\n

According to a statement<\/a> from New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, the Trump administration siphoned off $80 million from the City\u2019s bank account, retroactively defunding the contract: <\/p>\n

\n

This morning, my financial team shockingly uncovered that President Trump and his crony Elon Musk illegally executed a revocation of $80 million in congressionally-appropriated FEMA funding from New York City\u2019s bank accounts late yesterday afternoon. This is money that the federal government previously disbursed for shelter and services and is now missing. This highway robbery of our funds directly out of our bank account is a betrayal of everyone who calls New York City home.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Lander called on Mayor Eric Adams to do something about it. Adams, who just so happens to have had his bribery charges dropped without prejudice<\/em> this week, has said that it would be better not to criticize the Trump administration publicly.<\/p>\n

And in the meantime, Judge McConnell denied<\/a> the DOJ\u2019s request to bless FEMA\u2019s actions retroactively, noting that the government is perfectly entitled to cancel contracts if, as it warrants, it intends to provide \u201cnotice to New York City regarding the funding pause and will provide the information and process required by regulation and the terms and conditions of the award.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gonna take a wild shot in the dark that stealing $80 million from a commercial bank account and unilaterally cutting off funding is not<\/em> the \u201croutine process\u201d laid out in the agreement.<\/p>\n

Anyway, enjoy your constitutional crisis courtesy of \u201cour judicial branch.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n

Karoline Leavitt: “The real constitutional crisis is taking place within our judicial branch.”<\/p>\n

\u2014 Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com)<\/a> 2025-02-12T18:25:19.349Z<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

New York v. Trump<\/a>\u00a0[Docket via Court Listener]<\/p>\n

\n

Liz Dye<\/a>\u00a0lives in Baltimore where she produces the Law and Chaos\u00a0substack<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0podcast<\/a>.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

The post FEMA Steals $80M From NYC, Dares Courts To Do Something About It<\/a> appeared first on Above the Law<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Trump administration had a bad night in Boston followed by a lousy morning in Providence, as two courts gave major side eye to the DOJ\u2019s latest legal stylings. <\/p>\n

Many people are saying these pleadings are garbage! They come with tears in their eyes and say, Sir, we\u2019ve never seen the Justice Department demand an immediate interlocutory appeal and administrative stay of a TRO that\u2019s been in place less than two weeks.<\/em><\/p>\n

The latest benchslaps arose in the blue states\u2019 case to block the freeze on dispensing federal funds to people President Trump and Grand Vizier Musk don\u2019t like. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe Executive Branch has a duty to align federal spending and action with the will of the people as expressed through congressional appropriations, not through \u2018Presidential priorities,\u2019\u201d Rhode Island federal Judge John McConnell scolded in the January 31\u00a0TRO<\/a>, reminding the feds that actually<\/em> Congress has the power of the purse.<\/p>\n

And he reiterated that \u201cthe plain language of the TRO entered in this case prohibits all categorical pauses or freezes in obligations or disbursements\u201d when he granted<\/a> the plaintiffs\u2019 emergency motion<\/a>\u00a0to enforce after the government was caught blatantly defying <\/a>the first order. Judge McConnell pointedly noted that parties who defy a court order are risking criminal contempt, even if the order is later reversed.<\/p>\n

This appears to have gotten the attention of the DOJ lawyers, who first noticed an appeal<\/a> of the TRO to the First Circuit, and then threw themselves histrionically onto the courthouse steps in Boston, howling<\/a> about a \u201cbroad incursion on the orderly operation of government and the President\u2019s Article II authority to control the Executive Branch.\u201d <\/p>\n

The appellate panel expressed<\/a> extreme puzzlement as to whether they would even have jurisdiction to impose an administrative stay, but then, assuming that they did, denied it.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe note in this regard the plaintiffs\u2019 statement in their Opposition to Defendants\u2019 Motion for Administrative Stay Pending Appeal that, consistent with the TRO, the February 10 Order \u201cdoes not stop defendants from limiting access to funds without any \u2018preclearance\u2019 from the district court \u2018on the basis of the applicable authorizing statutes, regulations, and terms,’\u201d they wrote.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile back in Providence, the government was in a bit of a sticky wicket. Because Elon Musk and his army of DOGE bros claimed to have discovered FEMA paying to put illegal immigrants up in luxury hotels. That was bullshit<\/a> \u2014 if you can even believe it! \u2014 but the brother in douche over at FEMA immediately promised to put an end to it and fire the responsible parties.<\/p>\n

Darn you Congress with your filthy BILLS!<\/p>\n

This forced the DOJ to tiptoe<\/a> back to Judge McConnell and \u201crequest that the Court provide \u2018targeted relief\u2019 from its Orders, confirming that FEMA may continue \u2018withholding funds due to specific authority.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

This was accompanied by a declaration<\/a> from FEMA bro Hamilton which strangely made no mention of Musk\u2019s false claims. Instead it referred to \u201cmedia reports, the vicious Venezuelan gang Tren De Aragua has taken over the hotel [being used to house migrants] and is using it as a recruiting center and base of operations to plan a variety of crimes.\u201d<\/p>\n

That claim is sourced to a New York Post article<\/a> based on Spanish language TikToks and a report<\/a> from a local ABC affiliate which quotes one NYPD detective claiming that there are a handful of teen and tween pickpockets who live at Roosevelt Hotel in midtown Manhattan where migrants seeking asylum are being housed under FEMA\u2019s Shelter and Service Programs. <\/p>\n

\u201cAccording to these same reports, these crimes include gun and drug sales as well as sex trafficking, which can reasonably be presumed to be conducted in the hotel itself,\u201d Cameron assures the court, citing as evidence articles from the National Review and Fox News.<\/p>\n

Cameron purported to have \u201cpaused funding quickly in this matter to protect that funding from the potential for its misuse for the illegal activity described above.\u201d But in fact it turns out that he\u2019d done one better than that. <\/p>\n

According to a statement<\/a> from New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, the Trump administration siphoned off $80 million from the City\u2019s bank account, retroactively defunding the contract: <\/p>\n

\n

This morning, my financial team shockingly uncovered that President Trump and his crony Elon Musk illegally executed a revocation of $80 million in congressionally-appropriated FEMA funding from New York City\u2019s bank accounts late yesterday afternoon. This is money that the federal government previously disbursed for shelter and services and is now missing. This highway robbery of our funds directly out of our bank account is a betrayal of everyone who calls New York City home.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Lander called on Mayor Eric Adams to do something about it. Adams, who just so happens to have had his bribery charges dropped without prejudice<\/em> this week, has said that it would be better not to criticize the Trump administration publicly.<\/p>\n

And in the meantime, Judge McConnell denied<\/a> the DOJ\u2019s request to bless FEMA\u2019s actions retroactively, noting that the government is perfectly entitled to cancel contracts if, as it warrants, it intends to provide \u201cnotice to New York City regarding the funding pause and will provide the information and process required by regulation and the terms and conditions of the award.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gonna take a wild shot in the dark that stealing $80 million from a commercial bank account and unilaterally cutting off funding is not<\/em> the \u201croutine process\u201d laid out in the agreement.<\/p>\n

Anyway, enjoy your constitutional crisis courtesy of \u201cour judicial branch.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n

Karoline Leavitt: “The real constitutional crisis is taking place within our judicial branch.”<\/p>\n

\u2014 <\/div>\n

Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com)<\/a> 2025-02-12T18:25:19.349Z<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

New York v. Trump<\/a>\u00a0[Docket via Court Listener]<\/p>\n

\n

Liz Dye<\/a>\u00a0lives in Baltimore where she produces the Law and Chaos\u00a0substack<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0podcast<\/a>.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Trump administration had a bad night in Boston followed by a lousy morning in Providence, as two courts gave major side eye to the DOJ\u2019s latest legal stylings. Many people are saying these pleadings are garbage! They come with tears in their eyes and say, Sir, we\u2019ve never seen the Justice Department demand an […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":108262,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-108261","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-above_the_law"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/xira.com\/p\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/pickpocket-steal-theft-money-wallet-cheat-620x414-pe3TGp.jpeg?fit=620%2C414&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/108261","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=108261"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/108261\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/108262"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=108261"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=108261"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=108261"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}