On Wednesday, President Donald Trump signed a belligerent five-page memo in which he demanded federal agencies to explore the possibilities of withholding federal funds from four cities that have seen intense recent protests over police brutality and related issues: Seattle, Washington; Portland, Oregon; New York City; and Washington, D.C. In the memo, Trump said that his “Administration will not allow Federal tax dollars to fund cities that allow themselves to deteriorate into lawless zones.” Those cities are not “lawless zones.” New York state Attorney General Letitia James, who has confronted the Trump administration numerous times in the past, threatened legal action against Trump if he continues on with the threatening plan outlined in the memo.
She tweeted:
‘President Trump’s threats to deny funds to New York are nothing more than a desperate, last ditch election strategy by a president too weak to lead us through the crises our nation is facing. President Trump, prepare for legal action if you threaten New York again.’
President Trump’s threats to deny funds to New York are nothing more than a desperate, last ditch election strategy by a president too weak to lead us through the crises our nation is facing.
President Trump, prepare for legal action if you threaten New York again.
— NY AG James (@NewYorkStateAG) September 3, 2020
It’s entirely unclear what legal grounds that the Trump administration may even have for issuing denials of federal funds to high-profile cities around the country. New York’s Governor Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat who has also sparred with Trump in the past, characterized the memo as illegal.
.@NYCLU’s Susan Lieberman on @realDonaldTrump’s memo: “Trump's move to 'defund' New York City is an illegal stunt designed to sow chaos and threaten our democracy. New Yorkers won't tolerate political grandstanding driven by racism and fear-mongering."
— Emily Ngo (@emilyngo) September 3, 2020
In a statement posted to Twitter, he said:
‘President Trump has actively sought to punish NYC since day one. He let COVID ambush New York. He refuses to provide funds that states and cities MUST receive to recover. He is not a king. He cannot “defund” NYC. It’s an illegal stunt.’
President Trump has actively sought to punish NYC since day one.
He let COVID ambush New York.
He refuses to provide funds that states and cities MUST receive to recover.
He is not a king. He cannot "defund" NYC.
It's an illegal stunt.
— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) September 2, 2020
In his original memo, Trump said the following:
‘To ensure that Federal funds are neither unduly wasted nor spent in a manner that directly violates our Government’s promise to protect life, liberty, and property, it is imperative that the Federal Government review the use of Federal funds by jurisdictions that permit anarchy, violence, and destruction in America’s cities.’
No jurisdiction “permits… violence.” Trump and his political allies have completely made up that Democrats, as a whole, are supposedly okay with violent rioting. That is a lie: figures like Democratic presidential pick Joe Biden have condemned violence over and over again.
Biden: "Rioting is not protesting. Looting is not protesting… it's lawlessness, plain & simple… violence will not bring change. It will only bring destruction… this POTUS long ago forfeited any moral leadership. He cannot stop the violence b/c for years he has fomented it." pic.twitter.com/6fWRemMnld
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 31, 2020
