But by a 2-to-1 vote, the appeals court panel ruled that under the #Impoundment Control Act of 1974, only the Government Accountability Office [#USGAO], which serves as #Congress's independent #watchdog, could challenge #Trump’s efforts to withhold #ForeignAid funding. The panel found that groups that receive government #funding — in this instance, a number of #global #health nonprofits — do not have cause to challenge Trump’s funding cuts.

#law #AbuseOfPower

Since taking office, #Trump & his advisers have consistently claimed expansive #authority to freeze federal dollars allocated for projects they have endeavored to snuff out — an action known as #impoundment that legal scholars & #aid groups had considered to be strictly limited under federal #law.

#AbuseOfPower

The next month, #Paoletta told a federal agency directly that it should “pay no heed whatsoever to GAO’s conclusions, as they are incorrect” on the matter of #impoundment. Paoletta said the #GAO took an overly broad view of the #law, & #Trump could legally withhold money temporarily “to determine the most appropriate use of the funds” [nope].

#law #ExecutiveBranch #AbuseOfPower #Project2025 #RussVought