Raw Story: Top Dem warns Trump has plot to 'steal' from federal programs

[Dennis Donovan]

Raw Story - Top Dem warns Trump has plot to 'steal' from federal programs

Jake Johnson, Common Dreams
December 7, 2024 1:41PM ET

The top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee warned Friday that President-elect Donald Trump is planning to "steal from the programs and services that affect middle-class, working, and vulnerable families" by refusing to spend money appropriated by Congress.

Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) said in a statement that Trump's strategy, known as "impoundment," is "uninformed and unconstitutional," adding that "the Supreme Court, the Department of Justice, and the Government Accountability Office are all in agreement — the Constitution provides no impoundment power to the president to unilaterally withhold funds appropriated by Congress."

"It is the sworn duty of the president of the United States to faithfully execute the law," DeLauro added, "and appropriations laws are no exception."

In a new fact sheet, Democrats on the House Appropriations Committee note that "the Constitution gives Congress the power of the purse, and nowhere does it give the president any unilateral power to either temporarily or permanently impound — steal, withhold, or prevent from being spent — funds appropriated by Congress."

"The Framers were right to give Congress the power of the purse," the fact sheet states. "If the president had the unilateral power to decline to spend resources as directed by Congress, then those who rely on Social Security, Medicare, Veterans Medical Care, and other federal spending programs would be subject to the whims of the executive branch. The American people would be unable to depend on promises made by Congress in appropriations laws."

/snip

[Mike 03]

1. More than ever, I am appreciating the people who are speaking

out now, and aware that we may not have so many people deciding to do this come late January., when the risk calculation could be different.

We depend on people like this to tell us what is really going on. A big fear I have is that voices like these--everyone who has spoken out over the last 8 years--may fall silent.

[kacekwl]

2. No shit.

Who's surprised.

[keepthemhonestO]

15. Exactly

Color me floored. We have literally no insider information and could predict he plans on raping America. That's why he hacked the Election.

[rampartd]

3. unconstitutional? sure, but who is going to stop him? n/t

[Scrivener7]

5. Oh, Garland. Totally.

[Evolve Dammit]

9. Merrick the Meek will be gone soon. Pam Bondi??

[rampartd]

10. she wouldn't stop him from his signature "grab"

would she?

[Cha]

4. Of Couse he does. Brave Dem!

[erronis]

6. Hate to be a nag, but it is better to link to the original story than an aggregator

https://www.commondreams.org/news/trump-impoundment

This gives the clicks to the author, not to RawStory.

Thx!

[NotHardly]

7. Ya think?!

[Irish_Dem]

8. The US courts have made it clear Trump is above the law.

Trump is a psychopath and career criminal.

Of course he is going to steal as much of the US treasury as possible.

No one will stop him.
No one will find him guilty of any crime whatsoever.

[rampartd]

12. if he ordered the contents of ft knox moved to mar a lago for safekeeping

it w;ould be an "official duty.

actually, they are planning to use ft knox gold to fund their "bitcoin reserve"

"the best way to rob a bank is to own one." bob black

[Irish_Dem]

16. The best sociopaths don't break the law, they make the law.

Yes turn the US over to bitcoin and steal all the gold in Ft Knox.

[BobsYourUncle]

13. Dang!

Ya beat me to it.

[BobsYourUncle]

11. "and appropriations laws are no exception."

And Whatshisname says “Pffffft, I am above the law!—my buddies have said so!”

[Vinca]

14. File this under "No Shit Sherlock."