Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro sues over Trump's federal funding freeze
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Gov. Josh Shapiro is suing the Trump administration, alleging it is unconstitutionally withholding billions of dollars in federal funding from the state.
Why it matters: Pennsylvania is relying on $1.2 billion in suspended federal grant funds for projects across the state, along with another $900 million in reimbursements, according to the lawsuit.
The big picture: Pennsylvania's suit comes after President Trump issued a federal funding freeze and then rescinded the decision, unleashing major confusion and lawsuits from nearly two dozen states.
- The effort was blocked in court, and the administration was ordered to release the funds.
- A federal judge this week ruled that the Trump administration has not entirely complied with a court order to lift the spending freeze and that there's evidence it has "refused to resume disbursement of appropriated federal funds."
What they're saying: Shapiro said in a social media post that the withheld federal funding goes toward serious state needs, including reclaiming abandoned mine lands and plugging abandoned wells.
- "To protect Pennsylvania's interests and the funding appropriated to us by Congress, I'm left with no choice but to pursue legal action to defend our Commonwealth," the governor wrote.
Zoom in: The lawsuit alleges that federal agencies are not providing clarity about how to recoup $900 million worth of reimbursements.
- Those funds, the lawsuit says, have been marked as requiring further but unarticulated review before reimbursement requests can be approved.
Plus: Some of Pennsylvania's federal funding grants are linked to programs with deadlines that the state must meet in order to use them.
The other side: White House deputy press secretary Harrison Fields tells Axios the Trump administration is ready to face lawsuits like Shapiro's in court.
- "Radical Leftists can either choose to swim against the tide and reject the overwhelming will of the people, or they can get onboard and work with President Trump to advance his wildly popular agenda," he said.
Between the lines: The lawsuit comes from the governor's office, not the attorney general, who typically handles such matters.
- Pennsylvania's top prosecutor, David Sunday, a Republican, also didn't join more than 22 other attorneys general who filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration over the funding freeze last month.
The fine print: Shapiro's lawsuit names as plaintiffs several Pennsylvania agencies, including the Department of Environmental Protection.
- Those listed as defendants include Trump's budget director, Russ Vought, and Sean Duffy, the secretary of transportation.