In perhaps the most stunning and controversial district court decision of the second Trump administration, Massachusetts federal judge Indira Talwani recently blocked Congress from defunding Planned Parenthood. The cut was duly passed as part of the recent reconciliation package.
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On Monday, Talwani entered a temporary restraining order, essentially ordering the executive branch agencies, including Health and Human Services, to violate that law by not following through with Section 711113. At the time, she gave no reason for her decision despite one being required.
SEE: Judge Stops Congress From Defunding Planned Parenthood, Outrage and Confusion Follow
Talwani’s actions appeared to make no legal sense whatsoever, a point even some on the left were honest enough to make.
Look, I hate Trump, support abortion rights, and all the rest — but how can there be an underlying violation of law or the Constitution justifying a TRO from a duly-enacted statute cutting funding for