A federal appeals court on Tuesday delivered a huge blow to Obama-appointed Judge Tanya Chutkan and sided with the Trump Administration by axing billions of dollars in Biden-era climate grants.
Earlier this year US District Judge Tanya Chutkan, an Obama appointee, granted an injunction against the EPA and barred Lee Zeldin from clawing back the money that was being sheltered at Citibank for 8 different ‘green’ nonprofits.
Lee Zeldin previously clawed back the $20 billion in grants under the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) and Citibank agreed to freezing the funds earmarked for the eight nonprofits.
According to AP, the money was awarded to “Coalition for Green Capital, Climate United Fund, Power Forward Communities, Opportunity Finance Network, Inclusiv and the Justice Climate Fund.”
The $20 billion sitting at Citibank was ordered by Judge Chutkan to be unfrozen by Thursday and disbursed to the 8 nonprofits.
The Trump Administration immediately appealed the judge’s decision.
On Tuesday, a three-judge panel sided with Trump’s EPA in a 2-1 decision.
The three-judge panel included: Majority: Rao (Trump), Katsas (Trump) and dissent: Pillard (Obama).
Judge Rao wrote the majority opinion and absolutely excoriated Judge Chutkan.
“We conclude the district court abused its discretion in issuing the injunction. The grantees are not likely to succeed on the merits because their claims are essentially contractual, and therefore jurisdiction lies exclusively in the Court of Federal Claims. And while the district court had jurisdiction over the grantees’ constitutional claim, that claim is meritless. Moreover, the equities strongly favor the government, which on behalf of the public must ensure the proper oversight and management of this multi-billion-dollar fund. Accordingly, we vacate the injunction,” Judge Rao wrote for the majority opinion.
Lee Zeldin terminated the grants after an EPA advisor was exposed in a Project Veritas undercover video admitting that the agency rushed to allocate billions of taxpayer dollars to climate change initiatives just before President Donald Trump’s inauguration.
Project Veritas caught Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Advisor Brent Efron on undercover video admitting there is an “insurance policy” against President Trump.
“It was an insurance policy against Trump winning,” Brent Efron told Project Veritas undercover journalist.
“Get the money out as fast as possible before they [Trump Administration] come in … it’s like we’re on the Titanic and we’re throwing gold bars off the edge,” Efron said.
WATCH:
BREAKING: @EPA Advisor Admits ‘Insurance Policy’ Against Trump is Funneling Billions to Climate Organizations, “We’re Throwing Gold Bars off the Titanic”
“It was an insurance policy against Trump winning.”
“Get the money out as fast as possible before they [Trump… pic.twitter.com/eaAihuNvAh
— Project Veritas (@Project_Veritas) December 3, 2024
