‘I can’t get a straight answer from you’: Judge loses patience with Trump admin lawyer for repeatedly ignoring court order unfreezing USAID funds, issues harsh evidentiary demands
‘I can’t get a straight answer from you’: Judge loses patience with Trump admin lawyer for repeatedly ignoring court order unfreezing USAID funds, issues harsh evidentiary demands
"To the extent there remain any disputes as to compliance, the parties shall identify agency officials, employees or other witnesses who can testify under oath about those disputes."
Summary
Federal Judge Amir Ali sharply criticized the Trump administration during a Tuesday hearing for failing to comply with his 12-day-old restraining order to unfreeze USAID contract funding.
"I don't know why I can't get a straight answer from you," the judge demanded, asking if funds had been unfrozen. The government lawyer responded: "I'm not in a position to answer that."
Ali ordered USAID to pay all invoices for work performed before February 13 by midnight tomorrow and required the administration to identify officials who can testify under oath about compliance disputes.
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Hold his ass in contempt and issue a warrant for his arrest already, you goddamn judicial muppets. It's going to come down to that anyway - might as well yank the band-aid off before it festers.
Not just him, everyone that can be demonstrated as being part of this. We don't just need to deal with Trump (we do) but there are a lot of other people involved too.
Seriously. The judge is worried about the political fallout of doing anything as drastic as like, his job. It could be a real political rallying point, if a judge gets retaliated against. But that might make it hard for the judge to maintain his current lifestyle, and so we just make more concessions to the group committed to destroying even the illusory veil of justice and freedom.
Absolutely feckless and cowardly
I'm not sure he can and I think the judge isn't sure either.
I think this might be another one of those things where we were relying on the people electing someone reasonable.