Twenty-three states and three governors are suing the government over SNAP benefits being suspended.
In addition to the (attached) complaint, they of course have moved for a temporary restraining order (TRO), and included a proposed draft of such an order. Behold, the utter entitlement of these people.
If the name of the judge assigned to this case sounds familiar (Indira Talwani, appointed by Obama), we've crossed paths with her before. She's been playing "nuh-uh, no you can't" with Trump on the subject of deportations ever since he took the chair.
Link to a previous thread where SCOTUS overruled her bullshit anyway. Should be fun, for those of us who find these things fun.
Link to CourtListener docket.
Following up on the big SNAP (food stamps) lawsuit in which literally half the country is suing America, the judge held an in-person hearing yesterday to talk about the TRO. (I checked and there was no way to listen in at the time, hence "in-person only").
Today, the judge has issued an uncharacteristically cautious order (see also attached).
Highlights:
Worth noting that earlier today in Speaker Johnson's presser, he had the Secretary of Agriculture with him, in which she talked about how according to statute, they legally cannot use the contingency funds (which wouldn't be enough anyway) on the SNAP program unless the SNAP funds are actually flowing, i.e. appropriations are restored.
C-SPAN link to today's full presser. This is also mentioned in today's order.
The subject of standing to sue is addressed, and rejected out of hand:
The judge has thoughts on success on the merits, and states that the admin is wrong about the above-mentioned contingency funds.
Again, those monies are a pittance ($6 billion) and not enough to cover a month's bennies anyway ($8.6 billion). Oh, but that's no problem, though, because the states can just go through and
reduce everybody's gibs. Piece of cake.
Besides, there's plenty of money elsewhere you can yoink:
In conclusion, gimme gimme gimme:
So she did not just grant the TRO outright, as would've been expected from this judge. She's giving the admin the weekend to write a term paper explaining how wrong they were and what they'll do to make sure the gibs flow, due Monday. And they've scheduled another hearing in a couple of weeks. Further bulletins as events warrant.
