pgnewser – Page 441 – newslinkia.com

Of Course, USAID’s Fingerprints Are All Over the Russian Collusion Hoax– townhall.com

pgnewser February 13, 2025

Of Course, USAID’s Fingerprints Are All Over the Russian Collusion Hoax– townhall.com
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Excerpt:

USAID is no more. What’s left of the desiccated corpse of this agency has been absorbed into the State Department, with most of its workers laid off and its overseas missions shut down. The veneer of aid work has been obliterated, thanks to the work of President Donald J. Trump and DOGE, which uncovered a litany of wasteful spending. It was a primary driver of favors and pork for the political class. The gravy train derailed, and the vehicle for moving slush funds was deactivated. That’s why the Left freaked out about the end of USAID.

The agency also played a part in the impeachment of Trump, subsidizing and being a quasi-lord protector at the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), which is supposed to be independent but was anything but when you review the dynamics. USAID approved its staff hires and action plan, and OCCRP was cited numerous times in a CIA whistleblower’s complaint that launched the Ukraine quid pro quo circus. So, it’s not too shocking that USAID was also involved in the Russian collusion delusion. Public’s Michael Shellenberger and Alex Gutentag once again dove into this sordid world of (supposed) NGO activity and government funding: they found that OCCRP pushed the Trump-Russian bank/money laundering myth.

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UK Court Opens Door for Gazans to Resettle in Britain

pgnewser February 12, 2025

UK Judge Norton-Taylor has just ruled that a Palestinian family can resettle in England because of their “rights to a family life” under the European Convention on Human Rights, Article 8. He claimed the rights of the individual family outweighed the “public interest” of the rules on entry to the UK.

PM Kier Starmer’s administration has protested the ruling and vowed to appeal it. If the ruling holds, the UK will be open to a floodgate of requests forms from any Palestinian with any relative who is a British citizen to apply. The family applied through what is called a “Ukraine Family Scheme,” which allows Ukrainian nationals to resettle in the UK if they have a British citizen relative.

The ruling also sets a precedent that usurps parliamentary authority to declare which countries get resettlement status. The Home Office claims no resettlement schemes for Gazans is planned.

Court gives Gazans right to settle in UK – Telegraph UK

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Excerpt:

Palestinian migrants have been granted the right to live in the UK after applying through a scheme meant for Ukrainian refugees.

A family of six seeking to flee Gaza have been allowed to join their brother in Britain after an immigration judge ruled that the Home Office’s rejection of their application breached their human rights.

The family had made their application through the Ukraine Family Scheme and the decision to accept their case came despite warnings by lawyers for the Home Office that it could open the floodgates to “the admission of all those in conflict zones with family in the UK”.

Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, said the case showed changes to human rights laws were needed so that Parliament, not judges, controlled who could settle in the UK.

UK COURTS OPEN FLOODGATES FOR GAZAN REFUGEES: A LEGAL DISASTER IN THE MAKING – @JohannPbooks

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The ruling showcases everything that is wrong with the UK’s judicial system—unaccountable judges playing policymakers, overriding government decisions, and rewriting immigration laws from the bench.

Instead of respecting Parliament’s authority over immigration matters, the courts have effectively legislated from the bench, weaponizing vague interpretations of international law to erode UK sovereignty.

The justification leans heavily on human rights law, an all-too-familiar legal trick that overrides national interest in favor of an open-door policy. By invoking the UN Refugee Convention, the European Convention on Human Rights, and nebulous “principles of non-refoulement,” the judges created a loophole so large that any crisis in the world could suddenly become the UK’s responsibility.

This isn’t justice; it’s ideological activism disguised as legal reasoning. By conflating the specific policies crafted for Ukrainian refugees with a completely different conflict, the courts have effectively invited a flood of applications from any war-torn region willing to exploit this ruling.

New York State Democrats Want to Delay Special Election to Replace Stefanik Until November – PJ Media– pjmedia.com

pgnewser February 12, 2025

The State Democrats of New York are looking to demonstrate to the world what little regard they have for “democracy” as they move to pass a bill that would prevent a special election for Elise Stefanik’s (R-NY) current House seat. The representative looks to soon be confirmed as the U.S.’s next Ambassador to the UN.

The New York Dems are looking to avoid a law that would force them to hold a special election in short order. It would delay the special election until November. The Republicans have a 218-215 majority in the House, counting Stefanik’s currently held seat. The Democrats are desperate to gain a House majority before the next midterm to trigger more impeachments and kangaroo courts.

New York State Democrats Want to Delay Special Election to Replace Stefanik Until November – PJ Media– pjmedia.com
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Excerpt:

The party that claims to want to “defend democracy” has decided to abandon the struggle in New York.

New York state Democrats are going to pass a bill that allows Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul to delay scheduling special elections until November. Current law requires Hochul to schedule a special election 90 days after a vacancy is declared.

The nomination of former Rep. Elise Stefanik to be UN ambassador will create a vacancy in her deep red district once the Senate confirms her nomination. Once the bill passes (Democrats have large majorities in both Houses), Hochul could deny citizens of New York’s 21st Congressional District any representation for an extra six months.

The move has profound national implications. Speaker of the House Rep. Mike Johnson will have one fewer vote to pass Trump’s agenda. Currently, Johnson has a 218-215 majority with two vacancies, as well as Stefanik’s seat once she’s confirmed. In addition to Stefanik’s seat, Florida’s Mike Walz resigned to become Trump’s national security advisor, and Rep. Matt Gaetz resigned when Trump nominated him for attorney general.

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Grocery Stores Begin Rationing Eggs

pgnewser February 12, 2025

The H5N1 bird flu is still raging across America, leading the destruction of 148 million birds since 2022. As a result, the price of eggs has continued to go up, and now companies like Costco, Kroger, and Whole Foods are now putting restrictions on how many eggs each customer can buy. The question remains to some whether the bird flu is more hype and the chicken slaughtering is sabotage.

Grocery Chains Ration Eggs After Mass Chicken Slaughter For Bird Flu – PJ Media– pjmedia.com
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Excerpt:

The Democrats have been running the “what about egg prices?” line of attack against Trump hot and heavy lately, making the argument that egg prices are still astronomical and growing despite Trump promising to bring them down and having a full three weeks to reverse five years of economic sabotage by his predecessor.

What they conveniently leave out of the egg price narrative is that the Public Health™ authorities have been busy slaughtering poultry by the hundreds of millions for at least three years now.

Via CBS News (emphasis added):

Whether it’s ducks or chickens, since the current strain of bird flu, H5N1, reached the United States in 2022, over 148 million birds have been ordered euthanized.

“It’s a staggering number, there is no doubt,” said Jodie Guest, a professor of epidemiology with Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health in Atlanta. “But it is, and always has been a policy across administrations, with the USDA, that this is how they handle infections like this among poultry. And as we’ve seen bird flu move [across] species, it becomes even more important to try to contain that infection in the flocks that it’s in, so that we don’t continue to see spread.”

Trump Orders Reciprocal Tariffs

pgnewser February 12, 2025

President Donald Trump has enacted reciprocal tariffs on all nations. He called it the “Fair and Reciprocal Plan” and claimed it “will seek to correct longstanding imbalances in international trade and ensure fairness across the board.”

President Donald J. Trump had previously implemented a 25% import tax, or tariff, on all steel and aluminum entering the United States. Trump said, “This is a big deal, the beginning of making America rich again. Our nation requires steel and aluminum to be made in America, not in foreign lands. Ultimately it will be cheaper. It’s time for our great industries to come back to America…this is the first of many.”

Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Announces “Fair and Reciprocal Plan” on Trade – White House Press Release

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Excerpt:

THE “FAIR AND RECIPROCAL PLAN”: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed a Presidential Memorandum ordering the development of a comprehensive plan for restoring fairness in U.S. trade relationships and countering non-reciprocal trading arrangements.

The “Fair and Reciprocal Plan” will seek to correct longstanding imbalances in international trade and ensure fairness across the board.

Gone are the days of America being taken advantage of: this plan will put the American worker first, improve our competitiveness in every area of industry, reduce our trade deficit, and bolster our economic and national security.

AMERICA WILL NO LONGER TOLERATE UNFAIR TRADE PRACTICES: The United States is one of the most open economies in the world, yet our trading partners keep their markets closed to our exports. This lack of reciprocity is unfair and contributes to our large and persistent annual trade deficit.

There are endless examples where our trading partners do not give the United States reciprocal treatment.
- The U.S. tariff on ethanol is a mere 2.5%. Yet Brazil charges the U.S. ethanol exports a tariff of 18%. As a result, in 2024, the U.S. imported over $200 million in ethanol from Brazil while the U.S. exported only $52 million in ethanol to Brazil.
- The U.S. average applied Most Favored Nation (MFN) tariff on agricultural goods is 5%. But India’s average applied MFN tariff is 39%. India also charges a 100% tariff on U.S. motorcycles, while we only charge a 2.4% tariff on Indian motorcycles.
- The European Union can export all the shellfish it wants to America. But the EU bans shellfish exports from 48 of our states, despite committing in 2020 to expedite approvals for shellfish exports. As a result, in 2023, the U.S. imported $274 million in shellfish from the EU but exported only $38 million.
- The EU also imposes a 10% tariff on imported cars. Yet the U.S. only imposes a 2.5% tariff.
- A 2019 report found that across 132 countries and more than 600,000 product lines, United States exporters face higher tariffs more than two-thirds of the time.

Trump announces 25% tariffs on all steel and aluminium imports– www.bbc.com
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Excerpt:

President Donald Trump has ordered a 25% import tax on all steel and aluminium entering the US in a major expansion of existing trade barriers.

The tariffs, which will increase the costs of importing the metals into the US, come despite warnings of retaliation from some political leaders in Canada – America’s biggest supplier of the metals – as well as other countries.

US businesses dependent on the imports have also raised concerns, but Trump has said his plans will boost domestic production.

He warned there would be no exceptions, saying he was “simplifying” the rules, which are set to come into effect on 4 March.

“This is a big deal, the beginning of making America rich again,” Trump said.

“Our nation requires steel and aluminium to be made in America, not in foreign lands,” he added.

Trump Escalates DOGE Battle with New Executive Order

pgnewser February 12, 2025

President Donald Trump has signed an executive order that requires the executive branch to work in cooperation with DOGE in its efforts to purge the government of waste. The order is called “Implementing the president’s ‘Department of Government Efficiency’ workforce optimization initiative.”

Of note is the section on “Reduction of Force,” which states “Agency Heads shall promptly undertake preparations to initiate large-scale reductions in force (RIFs), consistent with applicable law, and to separate from Federal service temporary employees and reemployed annuitants working in areas that will likely be subject to the RIFs. All offices that perform functions not mandated by statute or other law shall be prioritized in the RIFs, including all agency diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives…”

Trump supercharges DOGE with new executive order, sets stage for ‘large-scale’ layoffs– www.theblaze.com
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Excerpt:

President Donald Trump signed an
executive order Tuesday setting the stage for “large-scale” layoffs and requiring federal agencies to further aid the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency with the governmental streamlining process, further empowering the Elon Musk-led outfit.

The order titled “Implementing the president’s ‘Department of Government Efficiency’ workforce optimization initiative” builds on Trump’s
Jan. 20 order establishing the DOGE and requires federal agency heads to make “preparations to initiate large-scale reductions in force (RIFs), consistent with applicable law, and to separate from Federal service temporary employees and re-employed annuitants working in areas that will likely be subject to the RIFs.”

In the order, Trump tasked Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought with producing a master plan outlining how to reduce the federal bureaucracy through “efficiency improvements and attrition.” The plan must require that each agency can hire only one employee for every four employees kicked to the curb — a ratio that won’t apply to jobs related to immigration, public safety, or law enforcement.

Agency heads must in turn develop hiring plans in consultation with the DOGE team leader assigned to their agency, ensuring the strategic and timely placement of new career appointment hires as well as continued absences in positions the DOGE figures better left unmanned.

Trump further made clear that offices that “perform functions not mandated by statute or other law,” especially those surviving offices that engage in DEI initiatives, should be prioritized for house cleaning.

‘It’s just something we’ve got to fix.’

#TrumpFactor: King of Jordan Does The Unexpected After White House Meeting, Predicts Egypt is Next– wltreport.com

pgnewser February 12, 2025

#TrumpFactor: King of Jordan Does The Unexpected After White House Meeting, Predicts Egypt is Next– wltreport.com
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Once again he floats a plan that the entire world says is impossible, only to find that steps are being taken in the “impossible” direction.

President Trump hosted King Abdullah of Jordan today at the White House.

The planned discussion topic centered on the situation in Gaza, and of course, President Trump’s plan to do something amazingly different than has ever been tried or conceived of in the past.

Except, some of his plan does include what has been attempted in the past — it’s just that no one has ever been able to pull it off.

Egypt announces emergency Arab summit after Trump’s Gaza plan infuriates key allies– abcnews.go.com

pgnewser February 12, 2025

Egypt announces emergency Arab summit after Trump’s Gaza plan infuriates key allies– abcnews.go.com
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CAIRO — Egypt announced Sunday that it will host an emergency Arab summit on Feb. 27 to discuss “new and dangerous developments” after U.S. President Donald Trump proposed to resettle Palestinians from the Gaza Strip.

Trump’s suggestion, made at a White House meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last week, infuriated the Arab world, including Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia — key allies of Washington.

Both Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi and Jordanian King Abdullah II dismissed Trump’s call to resettle 1.8 million Palestinians in Gaza and for the U.S. to take ownership of the enclave, but Trump claims that they would eventually accept it.

Trump Admin Moves To Dissolve “Impermissible and Anti-Constitutional” Weekend TRO Against Treasury– legalinsurrection.com

pgnewser February 11, 2025

Trump Admin Moves To Dissolve “Impermissible and Anti-Constitutional” Weekend TRO Against Treasury– legalinsurrection.com
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The emergency and ex parte Temporary Restraining Order entered just after midnight Friday night (1 a.m. Saturday, reportedly) by the emergency duty judge in the Southern District of New York, without any opportunity for the government to be heard, has created what legitimately is a constitutional crisis. In addition to the gamesmanship by New York and other blue states of a Friday night filing where there was no legitimate emergency requiring a ruling that night, the Judge effectively decapitated the Treasury Department by forbidding any political appointee from having access to the Treasury payment system. The documents and analysis are in our post, Judge Issues Emergency Order Halting DOGE Access To Treasury Payment Systems.

It’s worse than I thought. In an Emergency Motion to Dissolve the TRO, filed early this morning, the Trump administration demonstrates not just the legal impropriety of the Judicial Branch removing political control from the Executive Branch, but also that there was no widespread access by political appointees. The Emergency Motion only addresses the removal of authority from political appointees, the underlying merits will be addressed in papers in opposition to the plaintiffs’ overall motion.

Judge stops USAID layoffs amid backlash from government workers, unions | The Post Millennial– thepostmillennial.com

pgnewser February 11, 2025

Judge stops USAID layoffs amid backlash from government workers, unions | The Post Millennial– thepostmillennial.com
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Excerpt:

The judge noted in his order that the unions had presented a “strong showing of irreparable harm” if the court did not intervene.

A judge has temporarily put a halt on the Trump administration’s attempt to downsize the US Agency for International Development (USAID), making it so that approximately 2,700 employees who were placed on leave can return to work.

US District Judge Carl Nichols, a Trump appointee, issued the order on Friday in response to a lawsuit filed by the largest US government workers’ union and an association of foreign service employees. The unions argued that the administration’s actions overstepped executive authority and caused undue harm to USAID personnel.

Nichols’ ruling, which remains in effect until February 14, prevents the administration from placing an additional 2,200 USAID employees on paid leave starting Saturday and reinstates 500 workers who had already been furloughed. It also blocks the administration from moving USAID humanitarian workers stationed overseas.

The judge noted in his order that the unions had presented a “strong showing of irreparable harm” if the court did not intervene. However, Nichols declined to grant other union requests, such as reopening USAID offices and restoring funding for agency grants and contracts. A hearing scheduled for Wednesday will determine whether a longer-term injunction will be put in place.

Trump challenges order barring DOGE from Treasury– www.washingtonexaminer.com

pgnewser February 11, 2025

Trump challenges order barring DOGE from Treasury– www.washingtonexaminer.com
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Excerpt:

The Justice Department late on Sunday asked a federal court to overturn or modify an emergency order blocking the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency from accessing the Treasury Department’s payment system.

“Basic democratic accountability requires that every executive agency’s work be supervised by politically accountable leadership, who ultimately answer to the president,” DOJ attorneys told Manhattan-based U.S. District Judge Jeannette Vargas, calling a judge’s weekend order barring DOGE personnel from accessing the payment system “impermissible” and “anti-constitutional.”

Elon Musk Has a Great Idea To Get Rid of Activist Judges – PJ Media– pjmedia.com

pgnewser February 11, 2025

Elon Musk Has a Great Idea To Get Rid of Activist Judges – PJ Media– pjmedia.com
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Excerpt:

A federal judge dropped a bombshell on Saturday, issuing an order that no only temporarily blocks the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from accessing essential data on federal payments but also bars Treasury officials from accessing data managed by the agency.

According to the order, only “civil servants with a need for access to perform their job duties within the Bureau of Fiscal Services who have passed all background checks and security clearances and taken all information security training called for in federal statutes and Treasury Department regulations” can access the data, while “all political appointees, special government employees, and government employees detailed from an agency outside the Treasury Department” cannot, pending a hearing scheduled for February 13.

The judge also ordered that any Treasury data that has already been collected must be destroyed.

Since the Treasury secretary is a political appointee, this outrageous ruling essentially bars him from viewing or managing the sensitive financial data of his own department. This unprecedented act not only strips the Treasury secretary of a fundamental responsibility but also undermines the executive branch’s authority to effectively oversee its financial operations.

Immigrant group suing Trump receives federal funds– www.washingtonexaminer.com

pgnewser February 11, 2025

Immigrant group suing Trump receives federal funds– www.washingtonexaminer.com
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An immigrant group behind a major lawsuit challenging President Donald Trump’s executive order seeking to end birthright citizenship receives millions of dollars in government funding annually, a Washington Examiner analysis of public records has found.

CASA, an organization that helps migrants find work regardless of their legal status, filed the lawsuit alongside the Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project and five pregnant noncitizens in January, arguing that Trump’s attempt to end birthright citizenship is unconstitutional. The pro-immigration group received roughly $5 million in government grants and $7 million in government contracts between July 2022 and June 2023, according to its most recent tax disclosures.

Tax filings from prior years show that CASA has long relied on millions of dollars in government funding to keep its programs running. In a review of federal spending records, the Washington Examiner identified grants from the Departments of Education, Housing and Urban Development, Labor, Justice, Health and Human Services, and Homeland Security funding a variety of programs offered by CASA.

Some of the grants to CASA are even ongoing, per federal records.

HUD, for instance, granted CASA $1.5 million in 2023 as part of its “economic development initiative” program to fund a project that will stretch well into 2031. Grants offered under this program cover a “wide variety of projects such as housing, homelessness prevention, workforce training, public facilities, parks, resilience planning and other critical infrastructure and services,” according to the agency’s website.

Rogue Judge Blocking Trump Agenda Exposed As Democrat Megadonor– trendingpoliticsnews.com

pgnewser February 11, 2025

Rogue Judge Blocking Trump Agenda Exposed As Democrat Megadonor– trendingpoliticsnews.com
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New revelations show that a federal judge responsible for blocking key Trump administration policies is a longtime Democratic mega-donor. Judge John J. McConnell Jr., appointed by former President Barack Obama, has a history of contributing hundreds of thousands of dollars to Democratic campaigns and political action committees.

Judge McConnell, who has served as a U.S. District Judge in Rhode Island since 2011, was previously a personal injury lawyer. Records from the Federal Election Commission (FEC) indicate that before taking the bench, he made significant donations to Democratic politicians, including former Presidents Barack Obama, Joe Biden, and Hillary Clinton.

His contributions also extended to Democratic PACs and various Senate and House campaigns. Public filings show that McConnell’s donations amount to several hundred thousand dollars, making him one of the more politically active federal judges in terms of campaign contributions.

McConnell has been a consistent donor to Democratic candidates and committees over multiple election cycles. His contributions primarily support Democratic congressional campaigns, national committees, and political action committees.

Dems And Judges Shredding Article II Are A Threat To Democracy– thefederalist.com

pgnewser February 11, 2025

Dems And Judges Shredding Article II Are A Threat To Democracy– thefederalist.com
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Excerpt:

For a solid week, blue states, labor unions, and non-profit organizations have descended on federal courts up and down the East Coast seeking to halt President Donald Trump’s agenda. And they have found receptive partners in a handful of federal judges willing to enter temporary restraining orders, or TROs, to immediately — and sometimes without any notice — prohibit the normal functioning of the executive branch.

To be clear, the TROs entered are not addressing specific disputes between Trump and the litigants, where the plaintiffs allege a particular action injures them in some concrete way. Rather, the country is seeing large coalitions of plaintiffs who oppose the president’s agenda filing lawsuits challenging the broad policies and the management of the executive branch.

Consider, for instance the lawsuit more than twenty states, led by New York, filed in a federal court in Rhode Island: In that case, New York v. Trump, the states initially challenged an Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Directive to agencies to temporarily pause activities and disbursement of federal funds that conflict with various executive orders. The OMB later rescinded that directive. Yet federal judge John J. McConnell, Jr., a Barack Obama appointee, entered a TRO ordering the President of the United States not to “pause, freeze, impede, block, cancel, or terminate” federal financial assistance to the states.

Judge Chutkan’s Defiance Of Trump Over J6 Case Is Disqualifying– thefederalist.com

pgnewser February 11, 2025

Judge Chutkan’s Defiance Of Trump Over J6 Case Is Disqualifying– thefederalist.com
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Excerpt:

Last Monday, I published “D.C. Federal Judges Join the Resistance.” It focused on one D.C. federal district judge, Beryl Howell, who let her emotions get the better of any prudent legal judgment when she refused to implement the president’s direction to the attorney general to dismiss all pending indictments against Jan. 6 defendants “with prejudice.”

She first vented her spleen against the defendants and President Donald Trump (whom she accused of perpetrating a “revisionist myth”) in a wholly gratuitous screed about why the prosecutions were necessary and proper. She then finally admitted that she had no legal right to refuse to dismiss the case. But to show the president who was boss, she refused to dismiss the case with prejudice. That left open the potential for a refiling of the same charges. It was, of course, totally contrary to the president and DOJ’s clear intent.

In that same article, I pointed out that Judge Howell had company. Three of her rebellious colleagues in the D.C. district court also refused to dismiss pending J6 cases with prejudice — including one particularly confused opinion by anti-Trump Judge Tanya Chutkan.

Corrupt Obama Judge Amy Berman Jackson Rules in Favor of Fired Biden Holdover, Allows Him to Keep His Job | The Gateway Pundit– www.thegatewaypundit.com

pgnewser February 11, 2025

Corrupt Obama Judge Amy Berman Jackson Rules in Favor of Fired Biden Holdover, Allows Him to Keep His Job | The Gateway Pundit– www.thegatewaypundit.com
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Excerpt:

Another Biden holdover in the Executive Branch caught up in President Trump’s firing spree filed a lawsuit to get his job back – and a corrupt Obama judge sided with him.

As previously reported, President Trump fired Hampton Dellinger, Special Counsel of the Office of Special (not to be confused with a special counsel hired as a federal prosecutor) on Friday.

“On behalf of President Donald J. Trump, I am writing to inform you that your position as Special Counsel of the US Office of Special Counsel is terminated, effective immediately. Thank you for your service,” Sergio Gor, Director of the White House Presidential Office wrote to Hampton Dellinger, according to Politico.

Judge to decide lawfulness of federal worker buyout offer – DC News Now | Washington, DC

pgnewser February 11, 2025

Judge to decide lawfulness of federal worker buyout offer – DC News Now | Washington, DC
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Excerpt:

On Monday, a federal judge will decide whether or not to block a buyout offer for federal employees as the Trump Administration moves to shrink the federal workforce.

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) offered most federal employees the opportunity to leave their jobs with full pay and benefits through Sept. 30, if they resigned by Feb. 6. The OPM announced that most employees who accept the “deferred resignation” would be exempt from in-person work requirements.

U.S. District Judge George O’Toole said he would hear arguments on whether an emergency restraining order against the offer should be granted, so the White House announced it would extend the deadline for employees to resign until Monday, Feb. 10 at 11:59 p.m.

Dems Turn To Activist Judges To Defy Trump– thefederalist.com

pgnewser February 11, 2025

Dems Turn To Activist Judges To Defy Trump– thefederalist.com
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Excerpt:

What’s happening right now is that Democrats, having been thrown out of power by American voters in a landslide victory for Trump, have decided they’re going to deploy a widely-used tactic from Trump’s first term to thwart the president’s agenda: use the federal judiciary. Under the false pretext that the federal judiciary is a “coequal branch of government” with the executive, they’re aiming to shut down Trump’s reform efforts with a fusillade of preliminary injunctions.

In recent days dozens of lawsuits have been filed against the Trump administration by Democrat attorneys general and various left-wing groups. These groups have carefully selected their venues, ensuring the lawsuits come before rabidly anti-Trump activist judges. So far, the tactic seems to be working. As of this past weekend, eight different rulings from the federal bench have temporarily halted the president’s executive orders.

Federal judges in Democrat-majority districts have issued preliminary injunctions blocking Trump’s executive actions to end birthright citizenship, reform and downsize the United States Agency for International Development, and offer buyouts to federal bureaucrats. A federal judge this past weekend blocked Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency and all other political appointees in the Trump administration — including the Treasury secretary and his deputies — from accessing payment data at the Treasury Department.

Federal judge says Trump administration ignoring his order to pause funding freeze – PBS NewsHour

pgnewser February 11, 2025

Federal judge says Trump administration ignoring his order to pause funding freeze – PBS NewsHour
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Excerpt:

A federal judge said that President Trump has violated his order to lift a blanket freeze on federal spending and again directed the administration to release the funds. That comes as top prosecutors in nearly half the country sued the administration for withholding medical research funding. White House correspondent Laura Barrón-López reports.

Read the Full Transcript

Notice: Transcripts are machine and human generated and lightly edited for accuracy. They may contain errors.

Geoff Bennett:

Today, a federal judge said that President Donald Trump violated his order that lifted a blanket freeze on federal spending and again directed the administration to release the funds.

Amna Nawaz:

That as top prosecutors in nearly half the country just won a temporary legal victory, restoring medical research funding stripped late last week.

White House correspondent Laura Barron-Lopez joins us now for more.

So, Laura, with three weeks into the Trump administration, you’re seeing a growing number of federal judges describe the president’s actions as overreach. What more did federal judges say about Mr. Trump’s attempts to free some of those federal funds.

Laura Barron-Lopez:

So, on that sweeping freeze of federal funding, District Judge John McConnell said in a ruling today that the Trump administration’s continued freeze of those funds — quote — “violate the plain text of an order” that he previously issued saying that they needed to stop and that they needed to release all of those funds.

And Judge McConnell called Trump’s actions — quote — “likely unconstitutional” and said that the freeze continues to — quote — “cause irreparable harm” to much of the country. Now, he didn’t hold any government officials in contempt, criminal contempt, but hinted that he might in the future if they violate this order.

And he specifically ordered the administration to stop freezing money for the infrastructure law, for the Inflation Reduction Act — those are Biden era laws — as well as said that he needed — that the administration needed to release funding for the National Institutes of Health.

So the big question here, Amna, is, does the Trump administration comply with this judge’s order? I asked the White House. They didn’t answer that question. And there’s some suggestions from people like Vice President Vance as well as Elon Musk that they think that the administration should defy the court orders.

Trump, Vance challenge limits of judicial authority, sparking separation-of-powers debate– www.theblaze.com

pgnewser February 11, 2025

Trump, Vance challenge limits of judicial authority, sparking separation-of-powers debate– www.theblaze.com
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Excerpt:

President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance seem to be gearing up for a battle about the separation of powers after weighing in on whether the federal judiciary should be able to curtail executive authority.

Early Saturday morning, U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer issued a ruling that temporarily blocks Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency from gaining access to the payment system of the Treasury Department, which is under the purview of the executive branch. The judge also ordered anyone outside the Treasury Department who has already gained access to the system to destroy all downloaded information.

Musk and DOGE have attempted to audit the agency to uncover possible fraud, waste, and other inefficiencies.

Engelmayer’s ruling is set to expire on Friday, when a hearing will be held before a federal judge in New York, who will consider the issue on a more permanent basis. The case was brought by 19 state attorneys general — all Democrats — who argued that Musk and DOGE should not have access to sensitive data within the payment system.

Trump 100% disagrees with federal judge’s ‘crazy’ ruling blocking DOGE from Treasury system – Fox News

pgnewser February 11, 2025

Trump 100% disagrees with federal judge’s ‘crazy’ ruling blocking DOGE from Treasury system – Fox News
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Excerpt:

President Donald Trump told Fox News’ Bret Baier in an interview ahead of the Super Bowl that he “100%” disagrees with a judge’s order barring DOGE from accessing the Treasury.

President Donald Trump “100 percent” disagrees with a federal judge’s ruling on Saturday that bars the Department of Government Efficiency from accessing the Treasury Department, he said during an exclusive interview with Fox News’ Bret Baier.

“Nineteen states attorneys general filed a lawsuit, and early Saturday a judge agreed with them to restrict Elon Musk and his government efficiency team, DOGE, from accessing Treasury Department payment and data systems. They said there was a risk of ‘irreparable harm.’ What do you make of that? And does that slow you down and what you want to do?” Baier asked Trump in the interview clip.

“No, I disagree with it 100%. I think it’s crazy. And we have to solve the efficiency problem. We have to solve the fraud, waste, abuse, all the things that have gone into the government. You take a look at the USAID, the kind of fraud in there,” Trump responded.

Elon Musk Demands Impeachment of ‘Corrupt’ Obama-Appointed Judge for Blocking DOGE Access to Key Treasury Payment System | The Gateway Pundit– www.thegatewaypundit.com

pgnewser February 11, 2025

Elon Musk Demands Impeachment of ‘Corrupt’ Obama-Appointed Judge for Blocking DOGE Access to Key Treasury Payment System | The Gateway Pundit– www.thegatewaypundit.com
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Excerpt:

Tech mogul and free speech advocate Elon Musk has called for the impeachment of an Obama-appointed federal judge after a controversial decision to block the newly established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from accessing a crucial Treasury payment system.

The ruling, handed down by Judge Paul A. Engelmayer, effectively cripples the department’s ability to carry out its mandate to root out waste and streamline government spending.

Judge Engelmayer’s ruling, prompted by a lawsuit from 19 far-left state attorneys general led by New York Attorney General Letitia James, claims that DOGE’s access to Treasury systems poses risks of “disclosure of sensitive and confidential information” and increases the “risk that the systems in question will be more vulnerable than before to hacking.”

Musk calls for impeachment of judge who blocked DOGE access at Treasury – The Hill

pgnewser February 11, 2025

Musk calls for impeachment of judge who blocked DOGE access at Treasury – The Hill
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Excerpt:

Elon Musk is calling for the impeachment of the federal judge who made a decision early Saturday morning that the Treasury Department should block access to anyone “other than civil servants with a need for access to perform their job duties” from its payment systems.

The order explicitly prohibits special government employees and those detailed from outside the department from getting access to the systems, a designation that would cover Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

That appeared to anger Musk, who expressed his irritation in a few Saturday posts on the social platform X, which he owns.

“A corrupt judge protecting corruption,” Musk wrote in one post at 2:11 a.m. “He needs to be impeached NOW.”

That post was written in reply to a post by the conservative media pundit Glenn Beck.

Musk, the leader of DOGE, in an earlier post at 1:40 a.m. wrote “it’s time” in response to another post about impeaching judges who have ruled against actions by the Trump administration.

Elon Musk alleges $50b treasury fraud after federal judge limits DOGE data access – The Times of India

pgnewser February 11, 2025

Elon Musk alleges $50b treasury fraud after federal judge limits DOGE data access – The Times of India
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Excerpt:

Elon Musk ignited a firestorm on social media after a federal judge issued an order temporarily blocking the department of government efficiency (DOGE) from accessing sensitive treasury department data. Musk responded with a barrage of posts on X (formerly Twitter), alleging widespread fraud in government entitlement payments.
The order, issued on Saturday by US district judge Paul Engelmayer, supports a lawsuit filed by 19 Democratic state attorneys general. They argue that granting DOGE “full access” to the Treasury’s payment systems violates federal laws safeguarding sensitive data, including social security, medicare, veterans benefits, and tax refund information. A hearing on the matter is scheduled for February 20. Until then, DOGE will have limited access to treasury data.

Courts Test Boundaries As Trump Admin Sparks Showdown Over Executive Authority– americanactionnews.com

pgnewser February 11, 2025

Courts Test Boundaries As Trump Admin Sparks Showdown Over Executive Authority– americanactionnews.com
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Excerpt:

“If a judge tried to tell a general how to conduct a military operation, that would be illegal,” Vance wrote on X. “If a judge tried to command the attorney general in how to use her discretion as a prosecutor, that’s also illegal.”

“Judges aren’t allowed to control the executive’s legitimate power,” he continued.

China challenges Trump tariffs at World Trade Organization – Yahoo News UK

pgnewser February 7, 2025

China challenges Trump tariffs at World Trade Organization – Yahoo News UK
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Excerpt:

China filed a World Trade Organization complaint against U.S. President Donald Trump’s new 10% tariff on Chinese imports.

In the Wednesday filing, China argues that the tariff, as well as Trump’s cancellation of a duty-free exemption for low-value packages are “protectionist” and break WTO rules.

It says the duties are discriminatory, and quote “are imposed on the basis of unfounded and false allegations concerning China.”

Beijing’s complaint also comes after Trump’s move to shut a trade loophole that allowed small-value packages to be shipped duty-free.

The so-called “de minimis” provision, used widely by e-commerce giants like Shein and Temu, exempted packages with goods worth less than $800 from duties.

President Trump signs executive order banning males from female sports – Standing for Freedom Center– www.standingforfreedom.com

pgnewser February 7, 2025

President Trump signs executive order banning males from female sports – Standing for Freedom Center– www.standingforfreedom.com
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Excerpt:

President Donald Trump signed an executive order yesterday, recognized as National Girls and Women in Sports Day, prohibiting males claiming to be female from competing in girls’ and women’s sports.

The order called the practice of schools and athletic associations allowing males to compete against females, “demeaning, unfair, and dangerous” and that it “denies women and girls the equal opportunity to participate and excel in competitive sports”.

The document notes that Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972 requires educational institutions that receive federal funding to provide equal opportunity for females. As such, it stated, “it is the policy of the United States to rescind all funds from educational programs that deprive women and girls of fair athletic opportunities, which results in the endangerment, humiliation, and silencing of women and girls and deprives them of privacy.”

The order requires the Secretary of Education to take action to protect “all-female athletic opportunities and all-female locker rooms.”

Prime Minister Trudeau will host a Canada-U.S. summit amid threat of Trump tariffs – Pique Newsmagazine

pgnewser February 7, 2025

Prime Minister Trudeau will host a Canada-U.S. summit amid threat of Trump tariffs – Pique Newsmagazine
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Excerpt:

A Republican senator from Iowa is pleading for an exemption for potash if U.S. President Donald Trump triggers a trade war by imposing steep tariffs on Canadian imports.

Chuck Grassley’s agriculture state could be hammered if Trump ultimately moves forward on his plan to impose 25 per cent across-the-board tariffs on all Mexican and Canadian imports, with a lower 10 per cent tariff on Canadian energy.

The 91-year-old Republican blamed inflation under the Biden administration for a 20 per cent increase in farmers’ input costs. A steep levy on Canadian potash — a key component of fertilizer — could be devastating for those farm operations.

“Given these already-high input costs, President Trump should work to protect family farmers by ensuring Canadian potash and other fertilizer products aren’t subject to the threatened 25 (per cent) tariffs,” Grassley said in a statement emailed to The Canadian Press.

More than 80 per cent of the United States’ potash comes from Canada, said the American Farm Bureau Federation. The world’s next largest producers are Russia and Belarus.