Pennsylvania governor sues over Trump administration spending freezes on grants and loans
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) " Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro on Thursday sued agencies under President Donald Trump, saying they are illegally and unconstitutionally withholding billions in federal aid from the state that had already been approved by Congress.
Shapiro, a Democrat, filed the lawsuit despite the fact that federal courts have repeatedly rejected the Trump administration's sweeping pause on federal funding, and Shapiro's lawyers suggest that the Trump administration is continuing to ignore court orders to restore access to the suspended money.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Philadelphia, calls actions by the federal agencies "flagrantly lawless" and said the agencies have no legal authority to unilaterally refuse to spend congressionally appropriated money over a policy disagreement.
Further, the agencies have provided no plausible explanation for the suspension, Shapiro's lawyers said.
Shapiro, his agencies and members of Congress have tried to try to fully restore access to the money, the lawsuit said.
"Despite that work, and despite two temporary restraining orders requiring federal agencies to restore access to suspended funds, federal agencies continue to deny Pennsylvania agencies funding that they are entitled to receive," the lawsuit said.
