Freeze Followed Quickly by Thaw
An order from the Trump Administration to temporarily freeze disbursing federal funds to state assistance programs pending a review was immediately challenged by Attorney General William Tong and other state attorneys general. The resulting strong negative reaction led to the order’s being rescinded the next day, at least for the time being. “This is a full assault on Connecticut families -- an unprecedented and blatantly lawless and unconstitutional attack on every corner and level of our government and economy,” Tong said.
U.S. Senator Chris Murphy defined the action as a constitutional crisis since it was taken without congressional approval which is where spending decisions are supposed to reside. In his statement reacting to the Trump Administration’s freeze, Sen. Murphy said: “It created an immediate crisis for our kids, health care system, public safety, seniors and more. Payments for Medicaid, Head Start pre-schools and more were turned off immediately across the country, and when asked about the shut off, the White House said they’d ‘get back to you.’”
U.S. Rep. Jim Himes was also quick to challenge the administration’s action, saying: “President Trump’s federal funding freeze was just a taste of what MAGA disruption – a perfect mix of brutality and incompetence – will try to inflict on the American people. My Democratic colleagues and I will do everything in our power to stop them and protect the critical services Americans rely on.”
In related news, Blumenthal reacts to the inaugural
After expressing his disappointment in the tone of grievance in President Donald Trump’s inaugural speech, Sen. Richard Blumenthal said: “I am more committed than ever to our core constitutional values and to fighting for a world that lives up to them for all Americans. Where there is common ground with the new administration, I will seek it and work in a bipartisan fashion to better the nation we love.”
Continuing, he said: “I will fight with everything I have in the Senate to prevent Trump from steamrolling over justice, freedom and democracy. That work has already begun as we scrutinize Trump's nominees for his Cabinet.”