The Official "Damned Trump" Thread: Phase II

[Angrboda]

Judge finds Trump administration violated court order halting funding freeze

Justice Department lawyers argued in a court filing that they didn't believe the order covered some of the frozen funding and that some of the funding at issue is under review to make sure it's "appropriate.

"The Defendants now plea that they are just trying to root out fraud. But the freezes in effect now were a result of the broad categorical order, not a specific finding of possible fraud," McConnell wrote. "The broad categorical and sweeping freeze of federal funds is, as the Court found, likely unconstitutional and has caused and continues to cause irreparable harm to a vast portion of this country."

He said the "pauses in funding violate the plain text" of the temporary restraining order he issued on Jan. 31, and ordered that funding be immediately restored for the duration of the time his TRO is in effect. The order is expected to remain in place until at least a hearing on a preliminary injunction later this month.