[CREDIT: Rob Borkowski] The U.S. Court of Appeals upheld suspending 2020 RI mail vote witnesses on Aug. 7.

[CREDIT: Rob Borkowski] The U.S. Court in Providence. ON March 5, RI AG Peter Neronha and 21 other AGs secured a preliminary injunction halting the Trump Coup attack on NIH and DHHS funding.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Attorney General Peter F. Neronha and 21 attorneys general have secured a nationwide preliminary injunction in Massachusetts v. NIH halting the Trump Coup attack on Congressionally appropriated NIH and DHHS funds.

The order prevents the Trump Administration, the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) from cutting billions of dollars in funds that support cutting-edge medical and public health research at universities and research institutions across the country regardless of whether their states have joined the lawsuit.

“Today’s preliminary injunction is a critical win for the health of Americans everywhere,” said Neronha. “People lead healthier lives because of the extraordinary, groundbreaking medical research conducted at institutions like URI, Brown, and countless others; research that yields public health advancements upon which many of us rely, whether we realize it or not. And so, as long as this Administration continues its illegal acts, in this case and others, we will continue fighting for justice on behalf of the American people.”

‘Today’s preliminary injunction is a critical win for the health of Americans everywhere. People lead healthier lives because of the extraordinary, groundbreaking medical research conducted at institutions like URI, Brown, and countless others; research that yields public health advancements upon which many of us rely, whether we realize it or not.’

The preliminary injunction protects critical funds that facilitate biomedical research, like lab, faculty, infrastructure, and utility costs. Without them, the lifesaving and life-changing medical research in which the United States has long been a leader, could be compromised.

On Feb. 10, less than six hours after the coalition filed their lawsuit against the Administration, a judge in the U.S. District Court for Massachusetts issued a temporary restraining order against NIH, barring its attempts to cut the critical research funding. Today’s order takes the place of the temporary restraining order and prevents the Trump Administration from cutting this important category of funding as the case proceeds. It will remain in effect until a final ruling is made.

The NIH is the primary source of federal funding for medical research in the United States. Medical research funding by NIH grants have led to innumerable scientific breakthroughs, including the discovery of treatment for cancers of all types and the first sequencing of DNA. Additionally, dozens of NIH-supported scientists have earned Nobel Prizes for their groundbreaking scientific work.

Trump Coup Trying to Take Congressional Powers

The attack on Congressional spending authority appropriating NIH and DHHS funding is one of several several attempts to wrest Constitutional power of the purse from Congress.

During a February press conference held by U.S. Sen. Jack Reed and Congressman Seth Magaziner opposing the Trump Coup’s illegal attempts to usurp Congressional spending power to gut federal agencies established, and funded by Congress.

Each Congressman said the Musk – Trump led assaults on federal agencies were an “illegal” power grab – otherwise known as a coup – to indiscriminately gut federal agencies.

The previous Friday, the Department of Education’s Trump -appointed Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights at the Department of Education Craig Trainor issued a letter ultimatum for state education departments and local schools to remove DEI programs and polices, under threat of losing federal funding.

Monday, Neronha announced he was filing a second motion for enforcement in RI and the other 21 AGs’ ongoing lawsuit against the Trump administration’s illegal Jan. 28 freeze of Congressionally appropriated federal grants. Despite Trump’s announced rescinding of the freeze, and multiple court orders, the administration has continued to block hundreds of millions of dollars in grants to the states from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Trump’s lack of regard for the courts indicates he believes himself to be above the law, said Neronha.

The lawsuit is being co-led by the attorneys general of Massachusetts, Illinois, and Michigan. Joining this coalition are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Connecticut, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin.

Author: Rob Borkowski

Rob has worked as reporter and editor for several publications, including The Kent County Daily Times and Coventry Courier, before working for Gatehouse in MA then moving home with Patch Media. Now he's publisher and editor of WarwickPost.com. Contact him at editor@warwickpost.com with tips, press releases, advertising inquiries, and concerns.

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