Category: Politics
Massie proposal would allow Trump to ‘circumvent’ judge’s ruling on ‘rampant fraud’ in Minnesota and other Democratic states
A judge’s ruling temporarily blocking President Donald Trump’s order to end billions in social services funds could have met its match if Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky has his way.
The president tried to end federal funds being sent to California, New York, Minnesota, Illinois, and Colorado, but U.S. District Judge Arun Submaranian ruled against him on Jan. 9.
‘If you won’t show us a plan, a workable plan, we’re gonna cut it off until you do.’
The group of states had requested a temporary restraining order against the spending freeze and was granted 14 days while the court considers a longer order.
On Wednesday, Massie said he had crafted an amendment to legislation that would allow the president to bypass the ruling.
“After rampant fraud was uncovered at daycare centers in Minnesota and elsewhere, a judge blocked President Trump’s effort to put guardrails on those programs,” the representative wrote on social media.
“I’ve offered this amendment to circumvent the judge’s ruling and empower the President to withhold fraudulent funds,” he added.
He posted the text of the amendment.
“None of the funds made available by this Act may be used to make payments under the Child Care and Development Fund, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, or the Social Services Block Grant program to any State that the Secretary of Health and Human Services has identified, pursuant to existing law, as failing to comply with Federal eligibility or documentation requirements applicable to such program,” the text reads.
HHS Sec. Robert Kennedy Jr. claimed that the states were not punished for being Democrat-controlled, but rather because they did not comply with the federal request to create a plan to stop fraud.
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“The best way to help poor families is to end the fraud so that the money that is available for them. And that’s what we’re doing,” Kennedy said. “If you won’t show us a plan, a workable plan, we’re gonna cut it off until you do.”
The five states had argued in court that the order to end funds was unconstitutional because it could not be based on the “mere allegations or suspicion of fraud.”
The temporary restraining order will end on Friday.
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