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From Fox News: A federal judge is blocking President Donald Trump from shuttering three federal agencies that assist public resources, minority businesses and mediation services.
Nearly two dozen Democratic-led states sued to stop Trump from closing the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) and the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS). U.S. District Judge John McConnell, an appointee of former President Barack Obama, sided with the states on Tuesday, affirming their arguments that the closings violated the separation of powers.
“It … disregards the fundamental constitutional role of each of the branches of our federal government; specifically, it ignores the unshakable principles that Congress makes the law and appropriates funds, and the Executive implements the law Congress enacted and spends the funds Congress appropriated,” McConnell wrote.
Attorneys for the Trump administration had sought to argue that the states had no standing to bring a lawsuit in the case, but McConnell rejected that.
Earlier this year, McConnell also blocked the Trump administration from implementing a nationwide freeze on federal grants. McConnell sided with 22 states and the District of Columbia in that case on Jan. 31.
ABOUT THIS JUDGE: Judge John James McConnell Jr. (born 1958) is the chief United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island.
On November 17, 2008, McConnell sent a letter to two Democratic senators, Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse, expressing his interest in being nominated for the vacancy on the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island. This came after McConnell had donated $15,530 to Reed and $12,600 to Whitehouse. After Reed and Whitehouse interviewed McConnell, they referred him to the president for the nomination. President Barack Obama then nominated McConnell to the judge’s seat in March 2010, and he was confirmed in a 50-44 vote in May 2011.
Prior to becoming a judge, McConnell and his wife were major donors to Democratic political candidates. He also served four years on Rhode Island’s Planned Parenthood branch’s board of directors.
Journalist Laura Loomer had uncovered many concerning details about Judge McConnell in February.
MORE EXCLUSIVE EVIDENCE:
I have uncovered the X and Facebook accounts of Judge McConnell @JackMcCJr, which proves he has been involved with the Biden admin.
On May 3rd, 2024, Judge John “Jack” McConnell tagged himself at the White House during the Biden Admin where his daughter… pic.twitter.com/Zgn8kzDA1T
— Laura Loomer (@LauraLoomer) February 11, 2025
MORE EXCLUSIVE EVIDENCE:
I have uncovered the X and Facebook accounts of Judge McConnell @JackMcCJr, which proves he has been involved with the Biden admin.
On May 3rd, 2024, Judge John “Jack” McConnell tagged himself at the White House during the Biden Admin where his daughter… pic.twitter.com/Zgn8kzDA1T
— Laura Loomer (@LauraLoomer) February 11, 2025
U.S. District Judge John McConnell, an appointee of former President Barack Obama, sided with the states on Tuesday, affirming their arguments that the closings violated the separation of powers. https://t.co/xrBZxyQUcG
— Sunchaser (@Sunchasegirl) May 8, 2025
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