Do people even understand that federal funds are still frozen? I ask that question because I keep hearing people refer to lawsuits and reversals on funding freezes, but that has not necessarily happened everywhere for everything.
The taxpayers of Pennsylvania are currently on the hook for all those funds if the federal govt refuses to pay up because it looks like Governor Josh Shapiro is shielding government contractors from the consequences of Trump’s whim edicts and “arbitrary or capricious” funding freezes.
Case 2:25-cv-00763 Document 1 Filed 02/13/25 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA COMPLAINT FOR DECLARATORY AND INJUNCTIVE RELIEF Specifically, Commonwealth agencies cannot draw from federal accounts, which means that agencies are stuck incurring debts and obligations in ongoing projects that cannot be reimbursed. While agencies have some reserves and discretionary dollars to cover small unexpected debts, the scope of the federal freeze will far exceed those reserves.
The federal government is crapping the bed on promised responsibility to the anthracite coal region.
Pennsylvania Capital-Star – Shapiro administration taking ‘aggressive wait and see’ approach to federal funding freeze Community and Economic Development Secretary Rick Siger addressed House Appropriations Committee on Tuesday By: Peter Hall – February 18, 2025 Gov. Josh Shapiro’s office has sued five federal agencies, alleging that Pennsylvania is unable to access $1.2 billion in federal grant funding appropriated by Congress and that another $900 million is being held up in an undefined review process.
The Trump administration apparently considered industrial damage cleanups for the safety of residents in the area to be “passion projects” and ideological.
Bucks County Beacon – Governor Josh Shapiro Sues Trump Administration Over ‘Unconstitutional’ Funding Freeze – The lawsuit alleges Pennsylvania is unable to access over $2 billion of grant funds. by Ian Karbal, Author at Penn-Capital Star | February 14, 2025 Shapiro’s 38-page lawsuit says among the state programs affected by the freeze of already-appropriated funds are abandoned mine land rehabilitation and plugging abandoned oil and gas wells, which, if left undone, can have consequences for both the environment and the health and safety of nearby communities. Other programs help low-income households retrofit their homes to lower utility bills and expand the state’s clean water infrastructure.
I read out a lot of the lawsuit in this pod recording: Don’t accept a disorderly poo circus.Don’t Wait For Everybody – Episode 018 Chloe Humbert Feb 14, 2025
It’s especially troubling since the Trump administration is prompting Republicans in Congress to attempt to impeach judges that find in favour of lawsuits against Trump’s executive orders.
AXIOS – Feb 15, 2025 – Politics & Policy Republicans move to impeach judges who blocked Trump Andrew Solender Clyde and Crane would need majorities in the House to impeach the two judges and and two-thirds majorities in the Senate to convict them. There are only 53 Senate Republicans. Judicial impeachments are rare and are usually brought for issues like corruption, perjury or seriously illicit personal conduct. The last successful impeachment of a federal court judge was in 2010 and concerned false financial disclosures.
I would say it’s unlikely that Republicans can get enough Democrats to vote to impeach these judges, but I have not seen enough to put my mind at ease on that by any means.
My letter to reps:
It looks to me like Pennsylvania is going out on a limb, putting the taxpayers in a position to be left holding the bag if the Trump Musk government decides to just terminate the Constitution. At a minimum, I don’t think this is a viable way to run a civilization. This sure seems like taxation without representation. We already paid these taxes to the federal government and were already promised these funds for programs already planned or in progress. How can anyone depend on anything or trust anyone anymore when contracts are completely unreliable? I’ve now pulled back on my own spending, and won’t be doing home projects that I planned. I suspect lawmakers understand we’re making these decisions when I see in the news that my Rep. Rob Bresnahan has recently sold between $15k & $50k in Lowes stocks this month. I’ve experienced many of the economic rug pulls like the Great Recession, so I know the signs. You need to tell us what you’re actually going to do specifically to bring fairness and reliability back?
Please feel free to copy or repurpose the contents of my letter for your own letters to reps.
