crime, law and justice

Judge blocks Trump's use of obscure budget clause to cut grants

• A federal judge in Boston on Friday granted a summary judgment barring the Trump administration from using an obscure clause in federal regulations to justify billions of dollars in grant funding cuts.
• U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani ruled that the administration's interpretation of the termination clause was not clearly supported by the regulation's text, contradicted the regulatory scheme, and would violate the Spending Clause.
• Twenty-three states filed the lawsuit last year, accusing the administration of using the clause to cut funding for programs covering crime prevention, food security, and scientific research.
• Talwani also denied the government's motion to dismiss the case, making the summary judgment a final ruling on the matter.