In a press statement, New York Attorney General Letitia James announced that she had won a lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s attempt to dismantle four federal agencies.
On Friday, a judge in the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island granted a motion for summary judgment brought by James and a coalition of 20 other state attorneys general.
The lawsuit, filed in April, asked the court to block the Trump administration from dismantling four federal agencies: the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the Minority Business Development Agency, the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, and the American Interagency Council on Homelessness.
“The Trump administration is launching yet another attack on vulnerable communities, small businesses and our children’s education,” James said shortly after the lawsuit was filed. “The agencies they are trying to defund across the country are eliminating support workers, supporting minority-owned businesses, and ensuring our libraries and museums remain open so children can engage in lifelong learning. My office will continue to fight this administration’s chaos and destruction, and defend the vital services New York and the nation depend on.”
The court’s order, if not appealed or reversed, prevents the Trump administration from permanently closing the agencies.
“The federal government’s illegal attack on these agencies threatens critical resources for workers, small businesses and the most vulnerable in our communities,” James said in a press release. “This is a major victory in our ongoing work to defend the critical services that New Yorkers rely on every day. I will continue to fight to prevent the chaos and destruction of this administration’s efforts to dismantle our government.”
In May, James and his partner Plus obtained a preliminary injunction to prevent the implementation of an executive order terminating three of the four agencies: IML, MBDA, and FMC. The lawsuit was expanded to include a fourth agency in June.
“Attorney General James and the coalition argued in the lawsuit that the executive order’s termination of all four agencies violates the Constitution and the Executive Procedure Act by attempting to override Congress,” James’ office said in a statement announcing the summary judgment. “The President does not have the authority to unilaterally eliminate federal agencies created and funded by Congress, and he cannot arbitrarily and abruptly terminate agency programs. In its decision on the motion for summary judgment, the district court sided with Attorney General James and the coalition, ruling that the administration is unlawful, and that the administration is barred from executing the executive order, and that the executive order is barred from issuing the executive order.”
Sources
Attorney General James sued the Trump administration to protect libraries and museums
Attorney General James won a case to stop the dismantling of four key federal agencies
Letitia James has marshaled the states to prosecute Trump
